The Wish Box
by Oceanwind
Summary: She picked up the small box and inspected it in her hands. The wood surface was smooth and a rare white gem was dancing in the center beautifully. It reminded her of the stars in the night sky. She might try and make a wish tonight. After all wishes were harmless. ZoNa. Rated M mostly for chapters containing adult humor and strong language.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I do not own One Piece. It belongs to Oda-san. Thanks for the couple idea though old man ;). Set after the time skip... All things mentioned that fall in place with the manga will be from previous arcs :)

**The Wish Box**

**Prologue**

The night was deadly calm. He sucked in a deep breath, trying to steady his wild heartbeat. He had plenty of practice; he had tried out this theory before. There was no reason to get nervous, it was fool proof. The stupid girl didn't even recognize him. All he had to do was place this seemingly harmless box in a place only she would be sure to find it. He couldn't make it overly suspicious or it would just get thrown overboard and he couldn't put it where anyone else was sure to nab it.

He had encountered the rest of the Straw Hat's earlier that night. He was studying them, trying to find out where on their ship he could place something of such great importance that only she would find it. It was quickly becoming clear that no matter where he left this little box it would be suspicious. The ship was too new to have mysteriously old items on it without an explanation, and leaving it in her room or study would cause alarm. He had to set it up in a way that only she would reach it and follow the instructions without any suspicion.

He crept onto the ship. On the deck there was a skeleton with a steaming cup of fresh tea. It didn't move, and he marked it as pirates being weird as hell and using it as a scare tactic so they could enjoy the island in peace. Still the sight was enough to make him draw up his cloak closer to his body. He was a medium height, about average, he had brown hair, brown eyes, medium build. But he wasn't average, oh no. He was not someone to be trifled with. He flinched at his thoughts. _Nami did this to me_, he told himself. _I'm not average!_

He was pretty average when it came to bravery, but his ambition to get revenge knew no bounds. He took a deep breath and started to walk past the skeleton.

"And who might you be?"

He glanced around searching for the voice. He felt a chill run down his spine. Was it just him or did that skeleton just move and take a sip of tea?

The skeleton stood, stretching leisurely and strode toward him. If it was at all possible it looked a little annoyed.

"I asked who you are?" he barked. "And why are you on my ship?" he added as an afterthought.

"I'm Sebastian!" he squeaked. He cleared his throat and tried to calm his now rapidly beating heart. "I'm here to drop off a present."

"Oh?"

"For Nami," he clarified trying to swallow and bring back moisture to his dry tongue.

"Ah. Are you trying to see her panties?" asked the skeleton.

He felt sweat stick to the back of his neck as the large skeleton loomed over him.

"Yo ho ho ho~"

He jumped backwards and clutched his chest.

"Let's go look together then! Yo ho ho ho~"

He had never heard of a walking, talking, perverted skeleton but luck was on his side. The rest of the Straw Hat's would have never trusted him so easily. The skeleton seemed excited as it led him to Nami's room and nervously asked him if he would open her drawers and search. As he did so the skeleton politely, which he later found out his name was Brook, asked if he could see the present.

"Sure," he said fumbling with his pocket. He pulled out a small wooden box. On the cover the wood had been burned and a small stone was engraved into the side of it. It had a simple beauty about it that reminded him of a desert. Brook snatched the small box out of his hands and inspected it. He gulped nervously; it seemed Brook wasn't as trusting as he let on.

"You must really like Nami-san," he finally said dropping the small box back into his open hand.

"She's different," he mumbled, it came to his advantage that the blush of anger that rose to his face could have been taken as embarrassment.

"You should stay and give her the present in person," Brook suggested thoughtfully.

"NO!" he shouted before composing himself.

"I mean no I can't. I get too embarrassed…" he struggled to find a cover. Again struggling to find words seemed to add to the idea that he was a dotting suitor trying to win Nami's heart. It played to his advantage.

"Oh you want to remain anonymous?" Brook asked. "Yo ho ho ho~" he bent over slightly as he doubled over in laughter.

"Will you quiet down?" he snapped. The skeleton ignored him and continued laughing at his expense. Brook wiped away invisible tears from his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Sorry I just needed to catch my breath, although I don't breathe because I'm already dead. Yo ho ho ho. Skull joke~" he laughed.

He wanted nothing more than to push that stupid skeleton over board. He clenched his fists together and neatly placed the box on her dresser where she was sure to find it. He placed the note with perfectly neat hand writing on her mirror. There she couldn't miss that. And on his instructions he even explained how to use the box. He grinned. His revenge was almost complete.

He walked back out on deck, with Brook following him.

"Don't tell Nami it was me please?" he asked.

"Ah I could never interfere in one's love life," he assured him. "That and if Nami-san finds out I was looking at her panties-" he shivered. "I just got goose bumps… oh wait I don't have skin," he laughed again.

It seemed like Brook would stick true to his word. And if things went according to plan then it would be too late by the time everyone pieced together what had happened. He grinned and waved to Brook, hopping off the ship easily. He would check back in a couple of weeks and see if it had all gone according to plan. He had been waiting a long time for this revenge, but he would just go back to the drawing board if this plan failed. It was; after all, best to have a 'Plan B'.

()()()()()()

She really had too much to drink the night before. She never really got drunk when she drank but this time she had felt a little tipsy. It was enough to give her a throbbing headache the next morning. She moaned, wishing for a cool ice pack to place on her head, as she sat up and looked around her room dazed. She had stumbled in rather late last night. She was pretty sure she recalled making Zoro carry her back to the ship but he had refused to take her to her room. She smirked, if she had one single bruise she was going to charge him a lot of Belli for that, because naturally it would have been his fault for making her walk back to her room.

She yawned, feeling her muscles move in sync with her yawn to stretch her body. She felt more alert, as she rolled her muscles.

"Alright!" she half shouted to herself, leaping out of the bed. "Time to get ready for another day."

She wasn't crazy, but on days when she woke up with a mild throbbing head ache, she needed the little self-pep talk to get herself moving and face the day with a smile on her face. She stumbled to the shower and quickly rinsed off the night before, she was all too aware that she smelled like booze and wanted the reminder gone.

Feeling refreshed, she made her way back to her room. She didn't run into anyone which was unsurprising seeing as her room was closest. She locked the door behind her and let the towel drop to the floor. She made her way to her dresser, and searched for something to wear.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously at the way a few of her clothes (particularly panties) were thrown about hastily. Someone had been in her underwear and Brook had been on watch last night. Muttering darkly to herself she almost missed the large note hanging off the mirror that was addressed to her.

_Nami,_

_We've met before, and I can never repay you enough for your kindness and opening my heart. I have a small rare gift to bestow upon you. It's a Wish Box. It grants two wishes but it has a ritual that must be done with it. In the evening before you go to bed, you must wish for something and say it into the open box and then close it quickly. The faster you close it the more power the Wish Box has. Then the next morning, while the box is closed and beneath your pillow you must wish for something within your heart. By the next day one of your two wishes will come true! I hope you use this gift wisely and I hope to see you again someday, but for now I am too embarrassed to come to you. I wish you well,_

_Your Admirer. _

Nami smiled. She doubted such a token would actually work but it was cute for someone to leave it for her. She picked up the small box and inspected it in her hands. The wood surface was smooth and a rare white gem was dancing in the center beautifully. It reminded her of the stars in the night sky. She placed it back down on her dresser and made her way out to start the day. She might try and make a wish tonight. After all wishes were harmless.

What Nami didn't know, and was left in the dark intentionally was the fact that the Wish Box could only grant a wish if it was realistic. If they were out on sea and she wished for a mountain of new gold to appear the Wish Box would try and compensate by taking her life.

()()()()()()()()()

The sail's unfurled as they started to sail away from the island. Sebastian couldn't control the gleeful smile on his face as he raced alongside the pirate ship along with half of the town. He waved gleefully, joyfully, he was on cloud nine. Nami would be dead soon. Of that he was almost positive.

* * *

**A/N: **Yes another One Piece Fic... this idea just hit me and I couldn't shake it. Let me know what you think... Oh and the evil master mind Sebastian belongs to me. Don't worry. The focus of the story won't really be on him and he'll only show up a few more times after this chapter. (I shoved him in a box under my bed... he'll have a hard time getting out).


	2. I'm Not Drunk!

**The Wish Box**

Chapter 1: I'm Not Drunk

_**The Night Before…**_

"I'm not drunk," she insisted. She hiccupped and giggled into her hand. He frowned and refrained from rolling his eyes -eye at her. Normally Nami never drank to the point where she was like this. She normally had a lot more self-control than that, he wondered briefly if she was faking but the way she was suddenly eying the man across the room as he pulled out his wallet told him otherwise.

"You are," he growled.

Seriously why did he always wind up having to take care of her when she was in the most annoying states? He never got the clear level headed Nami, he either got, drunk Nami, emotionally distraught Nami, or physically hurt Nami. It was better than him than that stupid love cook. He trusted all of his friends but booze and hormones didn't mix well. Nami was pretty damn attractive too. Even that stupid love cook's resolve would break if Nami tried actually flirting with him and who knew what would happen after that.

"No," she protested. She reached out to a random table and threw back one of their drinks. She giggled at the shocked group, which had of course all males.

"Join us little girly," one cooed.

"We'll be way more fun that pouting brute," another pretty boy added. He was half tempted to slice him in half but refrained.

"Zoro's plenty of fun!" she told them with a wink. He felt a small blush rise on his face but he fought it down. Even when she was drunk she knew just what to say and when to say it. He should just let her have her fun.

"We'll be fun too," one promised as he reached out to her. He had a drink in his hand and was pushing it towards her as an invite. In retrospect Nami did bring this upon herself when she stole that drink from them but now they were trying way too hard to get her. He pushed himself in front of her and grabbed the drink. Enough was enough. He could smell something suspicious leaking out of the offered drink.

"No," Zoro said loudly glaring at the man and interrupting him. That was it, Nami was done. He was taking her back to the ship now.

"Zorooo-" she protested. He scooped her up easily and flung her over his shoulder. "Oy, Hey Zoro put me down!"

"Say bye to your new friends," he said sarcastically.

"Bye!" Nami waved cheerfully over his shoulder and a few tried calling back to her and told her to ditch him.

He walked in silence for a few minutes. They were still a ways from the ship, Luffy and the others had gone to a different bar to eat. He thought about telling them they were heading back to the ship but he honestly was done for the night. He just wanted to get back and go to sleep. Babysitting the navigator had not been part of his evening plan.

"What the hell is up with you?" he muttered to her. She seemed to be pouting but he couldn't really tell with her slung over his shoulder.

"Whatdayamean?" she said.

"You never get drunk…"

"I'm not drunk!" she shouted in protest. "Put me down I can walk now," she said annoyed. He did as she said, righting her so that she was facing him.

"If I hadn't been there-"

"I would have been fine!" she protested. She grinned wickedly as she showed him the folding money she had managed to pick pocket. He would have asked how the hell she managed that but he didn't say anything. It was Nami, money and stealing it was her specialty.

"Those guys drugged that drink," he told her annoyed.

"I wasn't going to take it," she said darkly crossing her arms. She swayed slightly.

"That's why you were reaching out to grab it. Dammit Nami," his curse came as she started to throw up on the side of the road. "How much did you have to drink?" he growled.

"Like you can talk. You were in the middle of a drinking contest before you came up to me swearing I was drunk."

"You are drunk," he growled. His mind was just the slightest bit foggy he wasn't having any problem's walking straight or talking, unlike her. When he had noticed her, she was in the middle of grinding up against some guy who was clearly ten times the size of her. That stupid look on her face and large blush was enough for him to tell she was done for the night.

"Not even feeling it," she said wiping her mouth and smiling at him coyly. The look in her eye was something quiet foreign to him. She had that lustful look in her eye when she was talking, thinking, or stealing money. And she had it on her face as she eyed him.

He didn't say anything but started stalking forward.

"The ship is the other way!~" Nami sang in a chipper voice. He clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth together.

"I knew that!" he protested. He heard Nami fall in step behind him as he started on the correct path this time.

"What would you do without me?" she sighed.

"What would you do without me?" he challenged. "By the looks of it you were about to go at it with –"

He stopped himself. What the crew did or didn't do in their free time was none of his concern. Only if it meant one of them got hurt, or lost, or something unspeakable happened to them, then it was all of his concern. He didn't like the way she had been acting tonight, she was acting so irresponsible and unNami like. The effects of alcohol weren't something that normally fazed her…

"So what? I can't have sex with strangers?" she sneered.

"Not when you're drunk and going to regret it the next day. That and how would I find you?"

"You can't find anything unless I'm around. I'd have to lock you in the closet and take you out the next day."

He wasn't going to answer that. He didn't have to. This really wasn't any of his business to begin with. Why the hell were they talking about this?

"If he hurt you…" he started letting himself trail off. He still wasn't crazy about the idea of one of his best friends just sleeping with some random guy at a bar. He understood though, everyone had needs they needed satisfied. He just knew that if she had left for the night he would have been worried. He worried about all of his crew and since she had come to the bar with him, he was in a sense, responsible for her.

"You would have killed him. You had your eye glued to me all night anyways."

In such an off handed manner she noticed the same thing that was just starting to dawn on him. He flushed, thankful that he was walking in front of her for once and that the Sunny was in view. He needed to sleep off this alcohol. Maybe that bar sold some stronger stuff than the others. He was sort of feeling the effects of it. Watching her like that wasn't something that normally happened, he was normally much more discreet in keeping his worry from being shown.

They passed a boring looking man on the way back to the ship. Seeing Nami starting to eye the stranger and knowing no good could come from it, he scooped her up and tossed her over his shoulder again. In her state he was sure she would try and jump this poor guy's bones, and he was definitely trying to prevent that tonight. He nodded to the stranger as they passed.

"Cock blocker," Nami jeered as if she had heard his thoughts.

He ignored her as he climbed over the ship careful to keep her under wraps as he flung her up on the deck. A soft thump was all the affirmation he needed to know that his night was almost over. He had won half of the battle, now he just had to lock her up in her room somehow.

"Just go play with some of your toys and blow off some steam. You'll forget about this in the morning," he said starting to pick her up. It didn't escape his attention that her face was now flushed. Seriously? She was fine talking about having sex with complete strangers but she couldn't handle him teasing her about the fact that he knew she had some sex toys? This time he didn't refrain himself as he rolled his eyes.

"You can be my toy," she purred.

He nearly dropped her.

This was wrong. No. That was all he could think. No, for several reasons. No she was drunk. No he was slightly drunk. No because they were friends. No because of the consequences. No because of his dream. No because of her dream. No because he had sworn off women and love.

He placed her down gently.

"You should get to bed," he said.

She glared at him, pouting.

"Come with me," she said. Standing now she took the opportunity to press that full chest of hers into his. He was a male, her offer was tempting, but he didn't need to think over his decision. It was wrong. She was his friend, he wouldn't take advantage of her like that. Drunken Nami wasn't very subtle about things. He pushed her off gently.

"By yourself. Sleep it off," he told her pushing her in the direction of her room.

"Carry me?" she was practically desperate.

"I thought you weren't drunk Nami?" he said.

"I'm not!"

"Then why do you need to be carried?"

He knew he had won when her face darkened and she growled something unintelligible under her breath. As she stalked off he heard Brook laugh loudly from behind him.

"Don't say anything about this," he said lifting his good eye up to glare at the musician.

"As long as you don't say anything about me finding her panties… Yo ho ho ho~"

* * *

**A/N: **Alright. Let me know how out of character Zoro is please? He is one freaking tough nugget to write for. Nami of course is drunk so expect a little OOC from her just because of that. Other than that... I think this project is going well! Updates will be either bi-weekly or weekly depending on how much I write. I'm updating early because this chapter is done and I wanted to start getting into the story! :). Let me know what you think~

_Oceanwind_


	3. The First Wish

**The Wish Box**

Chapter 2: The First Wish

_It's stupid_, she thought to herself. One of her wishes would come true and the other wouldn't. One of her wishes would be wasted. She knew wanting something and wishing for it and then wishing for something in your heart were two totally different things. She could wish for gold but the thing she wanted deeply and truly in her heart would take precedence. It went without saying the superficial wish would be ignored.

Why was she over thinking about a wish anyways? It was stupid. She didn't even know why she was doing it.

Well that was a lie. Things could always be wished upon, they were harmless. Unless she read fairy tales in which a wish went horribly wrong, but life wasn't a fairy tale. Besides… she had wished to find true friends, she had wished to be free of Arlong. Those things had been granted to her.

She didn't want a world map. She wanted the satisfaction of drawing that herself. She wanted the adventure it offered, just like Luffy's need to see and do things for himself. She didn't take that view with money though. If she could wish for Belli then…

She scoffed; it would be a waste of a wish.

"Something on your mind, Nami?" Robin said softly from her lawn chair next to her out on the deck. Nami grinned sheepishly as if busted with her hand in a cookie jaw.

"If you had two wishes but you knew one wasn't going to come true what would you wish for?"

"I'd wish for the same thing twice," Robin said logically without missing a beat. She smiled softly before pondering a moment longer though. "What would I wish for…?"

"That's what I just asked," Nami grumbled but smiled at her friend none the less.

"Hmmm. Probably something that would alter who I am today but I don't want that. I think I would skip out on a wish," Robin answered calmly after a moment. A small smile was on her lips as she was deep in thought. "I wonder what Luffy would wish for," she added conversationally.

Nami grinned and tried not to laugh.

"Meat," both women said together. Nami fell into a fit of giggles and Robin chuckled as she flipped the page of the book she was reading.

Almost as if that was the summoning word for their captain he came bounding up to them.

"I thought I heard you guys say meat?" he asked. The drool pouring out of the sides of his mouth made a vein throb on her forehead as she smacked him.

"I've told you not to stand over me! It blocks my sun!" she scolded. He flinched and started to run away. She would have gotten up to chase after him but she didn't feel like wasting energy on it.

Nami felt her eyes starting to drift closed as the lazy atmosphere returned. What would the rest of the crew wish for? Robin helped her come up with a few ideas and they both chuckled and lazily suggested a few others until they felt like they came up with the ideal wish. Robin said she was curious and would ask everyone later if they would really wish for.

Chopper would probably wish for something totally random and weird, like being able to shoot lasers out of his eyes. He was the easiest one to think of besides Luffy. She found herself smirking as the ideas for the rest of her crew came up to her. Sanji would want her and Robin to be naked all the time. Franky would wish for an endless supply of scrap metal to make weapons down in his workshop. She paused. This was a lot harder than she imagined.

"Hey Robin… what do you think Brook would wish for?"

Robin was thoughtfully quiet for a long moment.

"His body back," she said seriously.

Nami grinned and was about to protest but then stopped herself. Her friends wouldn't all take this wish business so lightheartedly like she was. Brook probably would want his body back so that Laboon would recognize him. Her thoughts sobered. Still she had half the crew done and it was taking up a decent amount of time and killing the boredom that settled on the ship after a long day out on the sea.

"What about Usopp?"

Goals and wishes were completely different things. In some cases wishes became goals but never were they the same thing. Goals were something that was strived for. Wishes were things that one hoped would happen without any real effort. So that being said they both ruled out him wishing to be braver.

Usopp proved to be the hardest and eventually Nami and Robin gave up. Nami made a mental note to ask him later or sometime if the occasion ever presented itself. Zoro was the last one and Nami snorted.

"It's a no brainer," she told Robin. "He'd wish for another limb to carry around another sword, or he'd want an endless supply of booze for the rest of his life."

"Dead on," Zoro said stretching out next to them. Robin chuckled not bothering to hide her smile and Nami felt her jaw drop.

"How long have you been there?" she growled.

"All day? You guys were the ones that set up next to me. I was napping," he growled defensively.

She was just about to triple his debt for eavesdropping when Sanji called out announcing dinner. She shot Zoro a dirty look but let the subject drop as the rest of the crew started to converge to the kitchen.

It was well after dinner, as Nami lay in bed alone, that she finally came up with a decent wish. It was embarrassing and she'd never repeat it again but it seemed like a wish that wouldn't be wasted. After all she was a 20 year old girl, and being a girl she wasn't immune to wanting certain things in life.

"I wish to find romance but never have leave my crew or chose between the two," she said into the box and quickly shut it.

It was something she knew she would have never been able to find in this life anyways. She had found herself staring at men a lot more often than not lately. Like at the bar the other night, she would have left with that guy she had been dancing with if Zoro hadn't interrupted her. The rest of the events were hazy to her but she knew she sort of owed him for saving her from that type of choice. That wouldn't have ended well. Still romantic thoughts seemed to cloud her mind and fill her heart and she felt a longing in her that she wasn't sure she would ever be able to quench. It didn't help that occasionally she would borrow one of Robin's books that happened to be more on the romantic side.

Although she knew it was stupid and rather selfish to wish for something so naïve, she knew there couldn't be much harm in it. Plus she had even made sure to wish that she got to stay with the crew, in case by some freak turn of events it ever did happen. It seemed rather impossible for a pirate girl to find love except with one of her crewmates and she didn't ever want to leave the crew. That and she wouldn't be able to fall in love with any of her crewmates, they were family. She would have to find someone out on the sea and hope they would join the crew. It was a harmless wish. Besides it wasn't like it would really come true. It was all really stupid. She felt a pit of dread well up inside of her stomach but she brushed it off. She had just wasted a wish but she knew one of them wouldn't come true (she doubted it would work at all) besides she still had another wish to make and who knew what she could come up with by morning. She stuffed the box under her pillow and stretched out on her bed. She would make a better wish in the morning, and with that promise in mind she happily drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**A/N: **You guys actually won't find out what the second wish is word for word until the end of the story. I have it set up for that ;). Thanks for the reviews! I think the next chapter or the one after that the rating will go up simply for language. Stay tuned~


	4. Logically

**The Wish Box**

Chapter 3: Logically 

You would think that being a girl and going to check on the only other female occupant on the entire ship would fall to Robin. You would think that right? Well you would be sadly mistaken, since apparently it somehow wound up on him. He growled. It wasn't even justified, but he wasn't one to refuse orders.

Nami hadn't shown up to breakfast, and seeing as she was normally the first one up and awake it caused the crew to worry. Since he was the one that brought the subject up Luffy had told him to go check on her when Sanji started to fuss. Why that gothic woman hadn't said anything but just knowingly smiled annoyed him. What the heck was she possibly thinking to smile like that? Before he knew it he was outside of Nami's door. The only thing left to do was stop complaining and actually get it over with.

He knocked and waited a full minute. No answer. A jolt of worry through him. She made it to her room last night didn't she? She had been on watch for the first part of last night so she still would have gotten a full night's sleep.

"Nami?" he called knocking louder to be heard. Still no answer. What if some freak had tried to kidnap her again in the dead of the night and none of them had known?

"OY!" he shouted raising his fist to slam into the wood.

"What the hell Zoro? You could wake the dead like that," she growled opening the door to glare at him. After Thriller Bark she really shouldn't make jokes like that. She looked like she had just woken up. He couldn't tell what she was wearing but she had her blanket wrapped around her body tightly and a few pieces of her hair were sticking up in odd angles. He composed himself.

"You missed breakfast," he said evenly. She didn't say anything just groaned.

"Don't go over reacting now and telling the crew I'm sick. I just slept in," she growled.

"You never sleep in," he added.

She was deadly silent for a long moment before sighing.

"This is one of those times you need an answer isn't it?" she asked.

He didn't say anything because he never pushed for answers but he would feel a lot better knowing what the hell was up with her. She hadn't been acting normal as of late. First getting drunk and now sleeping in, it was all very uncharacteristic of her. Ever since that incident with Robin a while back any strange behaviors noticed by the crew weren't taken lightly. Not that they didn't trust each other they were just worried about one another.

"I had an odd dream," she said. Her face flushed and inwardly he cursed. He was not good at this type of thing. He might be the one that knew what and when to say things to the male members on this crew but he had no idea where to begin with girls and their mess of emotions. This was Robin's department and if there was something up with Robin then it was Nami's department. Unless, of course, it was a serious problem and not something that just needed a little girl talk.

"A nightmare?" he questioned, although he hoped it wasn't. A nightmare meant that she would either want to talk about it, or would cry, and he couldn't really handle either of those things well.

"Erm… no. Just an odd dream," she said. Her face flushed even more and she pulled the blanket that she had draped over her shoulders closer to her body.

Normally he would have just shrugged and left her alone. Normally Nami didn't get drunk, or miss breakfast either. Something was slowly starting to make him uneasy as he studied her with a long look. He let out a deep breath.

"What was so odd about it?" he half growled.

Nami's face would have shamed the color red. Half of him was sort of enjoying her embarrassment, and the other half was worried still. He cocked an eye brow and waited for her to answer. Suddenly Nami composed herself and smirked. Even under normal circumstances the smirk that graced her lips would be nothing sort of creepy and it spelled trouble for him. Somehow he had a feeling this was going to tie into debt and he needed to make a quick exit.

"It was pretty sexual. Want me to go into detail?" she said cheekily.

It was his turn to color slightly. This was normal, this girl had flashed people for less, and if she flashed him now, when he was all by himself, he knew she would never let him live it down. That and the potential debt rise would be obnoxious.

"Nope, I am good."

He turned to make his way out of her room but she was surprisingly fast and beat him to the door.

"Nami? What the hell-"

He never got to finish his curse because Nami's lips slammed into his. For the tiniest of seconds he paused before he roughly shoved her off. The blanket she had wrapped around herself slipped showing a skimpy pair of short shorts and a black lacy bra. That was all she was wearing. Despite himself he flushed even more at the site before focusing his gaze solely at her face which was torn in confusion.

"Nami?" he growled. His eye flashed at her and for once in his life he was surprised to find that he was actually genuinely angry with her. He couldn't explain it, at least not yet, because he was not one to act on his emotions. Still that didn't stop the anger from seeping into his voice.

Her face was torn between shock at what he assumed with herself, mortification at what she had just done, and wanting. He could see the want clear as day as she licked her lips and studied his. He made sure to take another step back away from her for good measure.

"What the fuck was that?" he growled. His voice seemed to snap her to attention. Confusion and panic seemed to spill over in her eyes as they widened at him, she pushed him roughly to the door.

"Get out!" she yelled. He didn't really need her to repeat herself.

* * *

**A/N: **And it begins! Rating is going up for this chapter because I said 'fuck' yup I'm paranoid most of the chapters after this have a little stronger language which is mostly why I have the rating as M. I don't know if there will be a lemon... that is up to Nami and Zoro... so we'll see. I don't like putting them in stories simply because I feel like it takes away from the plot and the story... we'll see...


	5. Stupidly

**The Wish Box**

Chapter 4: Stupidly

He just stood there stupidly looking at her. He looked torn between leaving and yelling at her and she couldn't blame him for either. However, he remained glued to the floor in her room settling to stare her down with a death glare that was sure to rival her own.

"What do you want?" she hissed.

"To talk," he said easily. He jaw clenched as if he was already annoyed but his voice came out even and smooth.

"There's nothing to talk about," she sniffed. He rolled his eye at her.

"You haven't talked to me in two weeks. I'm sure we have plenty to talk about," he said.

She decided then and there that she was going to ignore him and continue drawing her maps like she had been since before he had entered the room. She turned her back stiffly and bent over the large parchment. She didn't have time to react as she heard him cross the room and pull her chair so that she had to face him. She glared at him and crossed her arms stubbornly across her chest.

"Get over it already Zoro," she growled.

"I am. I don't think_ you_ are," he stressed. He glared down at her but the height difference didn't seem to be as dramatic as a person sitting and another standing. He was bent down slightly so he could make her uncomfortable with his stare but his face was a little too close for her comfort.

"Look it was a onetime thing. I won't let it happen again," she said making sure to sound bored and study her nails with indifference. She chanced to look up at him peering up ever so slightly. His eye was trained on her and a firm frown was in place.

"It can't really be a onetime thing. You hit on me when you were drunk too."

She felt herself blush before she composed herself quickly.

"I wasn't drunk."

He scoffed at her protest.

"Do you even remember that conversation?" he growled.

She couldn't say she remembered much of that night. All she remembered was that stupid Wish Box, that stupid dream, and that stupid awful wish she had made the next morning.

"It doesn't matter, does it? I made an ass out of myself. Can't we forget this ever happened?" she snapped.

She gripped the edge of her chair and made to move back to face her desk but Zoro's arm shot out and held it in place, again his face was dangerously close. If she wanted she could lean up and steal another kiss... She cursed under her breath.

Try as hard as she might even if he had pushed her off almost immediately she couldn't forget his soft lips. She fought with her blush long and hard but wound up losing. Why the hell did she wish for that? What the hell had possessed her to make her act like such a dumb ass in front of him?

"I can't forget," he said tightly.

His eye pierced into her gaze and she felt as if he was dissecting her. What did he want? An apology? She wasn't sorry for what she did, she was just embarrassed. Was he honestly not mature enough to push past a simple kiss and move back into their friendship? Well she couldn't really talk. She had been avoiding him for two weeks straight. That was beside the point though. It was entirely that stupid Wish's fault. If she had just… kept her thoughts to herself that first night she would have never had such a stupid dream anyways. The best way to deal with this was to scare him off and then he would leave her alone like she wanted.

"Too bad. Try harder," she said as she went to move her chair again but his grip on it was deathly.

"Let go Zoro," she said in a slightly gentler tone, but her voice still came out hard.

She would give him a chance to back out now before she really told him what was up. It would be better that way. She wondered if she crossed some invisible line that she would never be able to undo. It was just a kiss. It wasn't like he had kissed her back or anything. If he had things would definitely be more awkward between them now. Right now it was just strained.

"No," he hissed, "Something is up with you and it is starting to affect everyone on the crew," he added.

She lifted an eye brow in question. As far as she was concerned the only thing she had done differently lately was to make sure to stay out of the swordsman way. It wasn't hard to do actually, it was surprisingly easy and she contributed that to the fact that he was probably doing his best to avoid her as well. Under her questioning gaze she noticed his eye dilate slightly and he looked away.

"Since when do you lie?" she asked quietly.

This time he blushed.

"Listen here witch-"

"Nami-SWANNNNN!" Sanji said kicking open the door. "Oi. You shitty swordsman. Get out! I just made some tea and your smelly body will ruin the atmosphere…" he trailed off when he noticed how both of his crewmates seemed to flush and how close they were to each other.

"Thanks Sanji," Nami said she made a move to stand and get the tea but Zoro gently put a hand up to stop her. His hand rested on her shoulder and he hadn't moved away, he was still practically leaning down over her and very close in her personal space.

"Leave it by the door Love Cook," he said in a serious no nonsense voice. He didn't even look up at Sanji; his eye was trained on her staring at her deeply.

"What the hell are you doing to Nami-sa-"

"It's alright Sanji. Just an important talk about his debt," she assured the cook before things could get ugly.

She waved him off as he swooned over how beautiful she was even when she was scolding Zoro. She really didn't think she was the one doing the scolding. Thankfully the cook remembered that he had to deliver coffee to Robin and left once she dismissed him again.

She let out a deep breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.

"Why not him? He already swoons over you like the idiot he is," Zoro said. He didn't say it unkindly but the bluntness behind his words stung her. She visibly winced but quickly composed herself. She glared at him.

"I didn't really have a choice in the matter," she bit down on her tongue hard to keep from saying anything else. He shot her a confused look. She had wanted to keep him in the dark, give him a half truth that would send him running for the hills. She wanted him to think she was just emotionally attached to him. That was sort of the truth, and it would be enough to make him distance himself from her. Now she had gone and gave him a reason to snoop around. She cursed under her breath again.

"I wasn't the one who –"

She fumbled in her pockets and threw a folded up piece of paper in his face, cutting him off. He snatched it up easily and unfolded it carefully because it was slightly burnt. She gestured for him to read it as she leaned back in her chair, her arms crossing over her chest, and she tilted her head up to glare at the ceiling.

"An admirer?" he asked when finished.

"Read the back out loud," she told him.

There was a sound of the paper rustling as he flipped it over.

Zoro paused for a moment before scoffing.

"What the fuck is this? I can't read it."

"A threat from Sebastian, the idiot signed his name at the bottom of the post script. Apparently he gave me a Wish box," she told him.

"Who's that?"

"A guy I ripped off in the past. That's beside the point. The last half of his letter was actually written in lemon juice.* I had to practically burn the front to get it to show up…" she trailed off and sighed.

"How the hell can you even read this? You did burnt most of it," he growled.

"I can tell what it says," she sniffed. "Something along the lines of 'Nami you are a witch and in one week this little box is going to-" she stopped herself.

"Going to what?" Zoro said darkly.

"It has a possibility of endangering my life," she answered.

Nami carefully pulled out the box from her other pocket and chucked it at his head. Again he caught it easily.

"It's a Wish Box," she said quietly.

"You think there is actually something to this? It can't really be anything serious…" he lifted his eye to study her. She had paled slightly but otherwise she seemed fine. Besides it had been two weeks since she kissed him and she hadn't kicked the bucket yet.

"No… but I'm still feeling the effects of my wish," she said easily. She held her hand out expectantly for the box. He realized he hadn't really looked it over and studied the small wooden frame in his hands. It looked plain and boring, with a small white gem that was off center, it sort of reminded him of a Koi fish pond that he used to meditate next to. He handed it back to her and she quickly shoved it in her pocket.

"Which one?" he asked out of curiosity. The letter said she had made two wishes. He knew one involved him to a certain extent. "How long have you had this thing anyways?"

"The second wish… I think… and the day before I kissed you," she told him not bothering to hide the annoyance in her voice. So the night she was drunk… that had still been all her. They both made the connection and this time Zoro had to look away. He wasn't good at this type of thing and she knew it. She also wanted this embarrassingly awkward conversation to end so they could get on with their normal bickering selves.

"Don't you know that if you tell someone your wish it won't come true?" he offered feeling more and more awkward by the second.

"If the box can't grant either of my wishes it will kill me," she hissed. She hopped out of the chair to glare at him as if he had said something stupid. Which in her opinion this was stupid. He shouldn't be here. He shouldn't be talking to her. She had it all figured out.

"There has to be some way out of it… I'll cut it," he told her reaching for his sword.

"Don't you dare," she hissed protectively holding her pocket which it rested it. "You could kill me. We don't know what will happen."

"We don't want that do we?" Zoro replied cheekily and she rapped him hard on his head.

"Shut up," she growled but for some unexplainable reason the stress seemed to ease out of her. Going back and forth with Zoro like this was something she hadn't realized she had missed so much in the past two weeks.

"I'll figure it out," she told him after a moment of silence filled the room. "I don't need your help," she added when it looked like he was about to say more.

"Is figuring it out avoiding me for two weeks?" he snapped. Feeling a vein begin to throb she had to take a deep breath before she said something she regretted.

"I didn't think it would bother you," she answered calmly but even to her ears it sounded cold. That would call Zoro out on the very thing he hated to do. Admit he had emotions. She could taste victory coming her way. His face reddened and his eye shut in frustration as he let out a deep breath of his own.

"Look. It isn't very efficient for the crew if you give everyone orders but me," he said avoiding her accusation tactfully.

Translation. _I'm directionally challenged we all know it._ She smirked. She could sort of see the angle he was coming at. He seemed to be extremely embarrassed about even saying that much and she was tempted to rub in the fact that he had been asleep the entire storm last time because she hadn't woken him up. That was where she could see where he was coming from. They were in the New World, although she was an amazing navigator he was still worried. What if Luffy fell overboard and no one was able to jump in after him? There were a thousand possibilities of things that could go wrong if he wasn't there to help.

"Just make sure after this little talk you don't revert back to a mute around me," he said.

Finally. She had pushed his limits with emotions today and he was finally backing out. She gave him a sweet smile as she strode forward and opened the door for him.

"I won't. Good talk Zoro," she said with false sweetness.

He still stood in the middle of the room, a stupid look of determination plastered on his face as he looked at her. His sigh sounded annoyed as he shook his head in frustration with her before striding to the door.

"Talk to Robin about this. She might be able to find something in her books," he said over his shoulder as he strode out of the room.

She winced, thankful that no one could see it. That should have been her first choice. She couldn't believe she hadn't thought to go to the older woman. She would have to find some way to thank the swordsman later for the gentle reminder.

* * *

*****When you take a tooth pick, dip it in lemon juice and press it to a piece of paper you can write an invisible message there. Holding the paper just above a flame the lemon part will darken quicker if it isn't burned. It's an old fashioned way of invisible ink.

**A/N: **So another chapter down. Mwahahaha. I am having much too fun writing this. I do have a few other projects I should be focusing on... oh well. :p. I have also decided no lemon. I would like to thank **fmdevil** for the warning but I was seriously on the fence about it anways. Besides I can still imply things. ;). Thanks to everyone else who has reviewed, read, and supported this story so far. :)


	6. Breakfast

**The Wish Box**

Chapter 5: Breakfast

_His strong hands held her down to the bed. His piercing gaze held her captive and she found herself licking her lips. The look in his eye promised her passion and she was more than ready to accept it. She leaned up to steal a kiss but his grip on her wrists held her in place. _

"_I'm in charge this time," he whispered huskily. She was like putty in his hands. She felt frustrated as she tried to lean forward and kiss him but he wouldn't relent. Instead his head dipped down and his lips met her collar bone in the most delightful way. _

"_Zoro," she moaned._

Panicked, Nami shot awake. _That was the type of dream that caused this mess_, she thought angrily to herself.

"Pleasant dream Nami?" Robin chuckled from her bed. Nami flushed and pushed the covers off as she stretched.

"Nightmare," she mumbled stumbling out of bed and trudging over to her dresser. She fumbled around for a pair of fresh clothes and tried to keep the blush from rising as Robin's chuckle grew slightly louder.

"I hope I didn't wake you," she said facing the dresser as she apologized to the older woman.

"No. I've been up for a while," Robin assured her. "I didn't know that you were so scared of Zoro," she teased.

She silently cursed as Robin confirmed her suspicion. She had been talking in her sleep. Well the cat was practically out of the bag now. She had been meaning to bring this up with the older woman anyways and now was the perfect time as any.

"Robin, do you remember a few weeks ago when we talked about what everyone would wish for?"

The archaeologist didn't say anything for a moment, but her face sobered and her teasing smile disappeared.

"Yes, is something wrong Nami?" asked the older woman.

She took a deep breath, and turned to face her friend. She pulled the box out of her dresser and tossed it to her friend. Robin's eyes widened in recognition as she looked at the tiny box in her hands.

"I need your help."

()()()()()()()()

His suspicion was affirmed when neither Robin nor Nami surfaced for breakfast. It was serious and she had tried to play it off as nothing. If it had just been a weird moment filled with hormones she would have gotten over it by now. This was Nami; she was used to using her body as a weapon. And if she had gone to Robin right away then it would have been something that just needed girl talk, the fact that he had to _remind_ her to go to the older woman was a little unnerving.

What was this Wish Box thing? And what wish had Nami acting so oddly around him? They weren't the closest people on the crew but she was one of the oldest members and that alone gave them a slightly different special bond. They had gone through a lot. She was family to him and her lack of presences in his life was unnerving. He had thought that the two years that separated him would be enough to distance himself from missing anyone. Two years of not seeing his smiling friends was enough to drive anyone insane. He would never admit it out loud but he had missed them.

These past two weeks though? That was pure torture. Having her so close, yet her eyes never once glanced in his direction. She made a point to stay as far away as possible. When she was out on deck to sunbath she made a point to only set up her chair after he was occupied or sleeping elsewhere. It didn't used to be that way. She used to set up right next to him and then jump into an argument of some type about why he should be the one to move away. Like that last morning before she kissed him… she had been talking about wishes…

"Hey you shitty swordsman. Luffy asked you a question," Sanji said snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Huh?"

"Do you know what's up with Nami and Robin?" Luffy asked. He was currently trying to wrestle Sanji to get food from him but the cook wouldn't relent.

"Ladies eat first!" shouted the cook.

He knew what this meant. The cook couldn't leave or Luffy would eat all the food. Luffy wouldn't leave because he was starving and wanted food. Brook was busy egging it on in his own way, Franky was laughing, Usopp looked annoyed, and Chopper looked dazed. It meant he should go fetch the girls so they could get the day started.

"Come on Chopper," he said standing up from his seat. The little reindeer glanced at him questioningly but didn't complain as he stood up to exit with him. Again, he would never say this out loud, but he was rather fond of Chopper. The little doctor was the one person he tolerated without any fuss (unless of course he was wounded). Just as the door shut behind them they could hear the distinct sound of Sanji swearing loudly and Luffy laughing hysterically along with a dull thud against the door. Zoro sighed.

"Have you been sleeping alright?" Chopper asked studying him with that stern doctor gaze. He shrugged.

"I sleep all the time," he told him. Which was true but he hadn't gotten a sleep that left him feeling recharged in close to two weeks. It had nothing to do with Nami though. She didn't bother him that much. He just had this awful kink in his neck and it prevented him from sleeping as soundly as he could. Chopper let it drop as they rounded a corner. They both paused outside the girl's room and exchanged a look.

Chopper was the one to break the moment and nervously reached out and knocked.

"Nami? Robin?" he called out, he glanced back at Zoro, who nodded in encouragement. Although encouragement for what he couldn't tell you.

There was the sound of shuffling feet and their feminine voices talking to each other in a tone too low for him to hear.

"Ah, Doctor-san. We were just about to come get you…" Robin trailed off as she opened the door and noticed that Chopper wasn't alone. "I guess you should come in too Swordsman," she said respectfully and opened the door wider and gestured them in.

He wasn't sure what to expect as he walked into the room, but he definitely didn't expect a blushing Nami as soon as she caught sight of him. What was up with her? He felt the familiar sense of anger at her, grip him but he pushed it aside. _There is something up with her, she didn't have any control_, he told himself. Still, he was pissed at her for crossing that line of friendship that was so hard to break. She was attractive, he could admit that, but he didn't want to wake up a sense of longing for her that he had striven to suppress. He had other things to worry about, he had to train, he had to protect Luffy, and he had to become the strongest in the world. He couldn't have her as a distraction. It was bad enough with that girl that ran around looking like Kuina. She should know better, she knew of his dreams, and he knew of hers. They didn't have time for that type of behavior.

"What do you think Zoro?" Chopper's soft voice broke him out of his thoughts. See? He was zoning out. He could tell he had missed a large portion of the conversation but he couldn't bring himself to admit that.

"This is stupid," he said gruffly. Normally that would lead to someone telling him exactly why it wasn't stupid but no one protested him. Nami sighed.

"It's getting worse. I'm getting… these urges," Nami flushed as she looked imploringly at Chopper as if he could come up with a way to help her.

"Robin might be right Nami. If those two wishes were too similar the Wish Box might have taken it upon itself to combine them. It tries to make the wish come true before it takes your life. That and it seems like something happened that did start to work in the wishes direction. You should give in to these urges and see if it satisfies it," Chopper said. His ears pricked as Nami flushed and looked away. Did that kiss save her life? What kind of stupid wish did she make?

"The only source of information we have on it is from a Fairy Tale," Nami growled in frustration.

"We all know there can be truths behind them," Robin said comfortingly.

"It's not like Zoro would agree to any of it anyways," Nami snapped and flushed. He was definitely paying attention now. She was studying her hands that sat clutched together in her lap, her face getting redder and redder by the second.

"I'm sure-"

"I won't ask that from him," she said harshly interrupting Chopper.

"Maybe something else can substitute. Maybe if you get enough physical touches in it will compensate," Robin added, she was back to giving Nami a teasing smile, and her eyes even flickered over to Zoro amused. _These women are devils_, he thought to himself.

"That might work!" Chopper squeaked excitedly. "In some studies I have read, if the emotions are innocent an action like holding hands can cause the heart to beat in such a way that is close to the –"

"Chopper please," Nami moaned and fell back in her bed. Her neck was now as flushed as her face. The little doctor glared at her but didn't finish his statement.

"The wish has been making me act… differently… around Zoro. I'm not in full control of myself," she admitted stiffly. Robin chuckled this time and Zoro and Nami glared at her.

"That's why you've been avoiding him," the archeologist noted. He was starting to think their navigator just might turn into a cherry with the way she was flushing. So he was right, she wasn't in control of herself. But the other day when they had just talked, she had seemed fine. A little pale but fine.

"Why don't we try it out? It's better than you dying," Zoro snapped getting sick of all of this. He was hungry. He wanted his freaking breakfast already. Nami lifted her head barely to glare at him as if he had betrayed her.

"Next time we stop at an island we can look for some information," Chopper told Nami reassuringly. "But until then it is best to try and satisfy the wish in some way," he told her the serious stern voice of his returning. Robin chuckled and everyone glared at her this time. This was going to be an interesting morning.

"Don't tell anyone," she hissed. "I need to talk to Zoro…" neither reindeer nor archeologist went to move. "Alone," she added growling. After she got both Chopper and Robin to swear to secrecy, they left for breakfast. Robin shot them a shy smile as she slowly closed the door behind her.

"Ground rules. I'm not sleeping with you," she said immediately as soon as the door snapped shut behind their friends.

"You seemed pretty keen to sleep with me before all of this," he teased. That he couldn't help. He had missed picking fights with the navigator and two weeks had been far too long to just have Sanji to match his wits. He grinned wickedly as she dumbly fumbled for some type of come back.

"I was drunk," she defended.

"I thought you didn't get drunk?" he told her.

"Beside the point. Anyways… I don't want the rest of the crew to know about this, Chopper and Robin knowing is already pushing it. I'm not going to tell you what those wishes were-"

"I get it," he said letting her ramble about nothing he was interested in was annoying. To top it all off his stomach was starting to rumble loudly and the first and foremost thought in his mind was food. Nami would be safe. He would do whatever he had to do to make sure she stayed that way. She wouldn't die because of her stupid wish. He wouldn't let her.

"If I come to you and try to kiss you… don't you dare let it go any further," she told him. He nodded.

"Can we go eat now? I'm starving," he growled.

"When did you turn into Luffy?" she snapped back but she opened the door none the less and made her way to the kitchen.

* * *

**A/N: **Hehehe. Thanks to reviewers, you guys are awesome. :)


	7. Dilemma

**The Wish Box**

Chapter 6: Dilemma

As soon as they entered the dining room chaos that might have been paused seemed to resume. Sanji swirled around like the idiot he was and immediately starting doting over Nami and inquiring if she was okay. That of course, left Luffy open to steal as much food as he possibly could in the span of seconds, and typically and predictably Luffy was kicked hard and scolded. _The kid never learns_, Zoro thought to himself.

Now here was something Zoro had never before put much thought in. Where was he supposed to sit? The only spots available were the seats beside Nami or one beside Brook, and despite her agreeing to let him help he didn't want to seem like he was that stupid Love Cook. His split second dilemma was solved when Sanji sat down to dote on Nami some more, and for a split second he thought about shoving him out of the way. Nami caught his eye and her lips flashed downwards for a fraction of a second before she glanced away.

They still had a lot of talking to do. He cringed. He hated talking… well that was a lie. He hated having deep long conversations that were mostly one sided. Whatever was going on with Nami he was sure he was going to hear a lot about it. '_I'm not going to tell you what my wishes are_,' her voice rang back to him. Right, so he didn't have to worry. If they made a schedule type of thing this would hardly affect his training at all.

He realized that Robin was smirking at him and Franky was giving him an odd look. He was still standing in the doorway like a lost idiot.

"Can you not find your seat you dumb moss head?" Sanji said.

"You took my seat Mr. Nosebleed," he glared hard at Sanji. The words were out of his mouth before he could even stop them. Why? Why did he do this to himself? All he wanted was his freaking breakfast made by that shit cook. Was it really too much to ask for? Sanji's infamous curly brow rose in question. Nami looked panicked and shot him a dirty look that clearly said sit-the-fuck-down-and-shut-the-hell-up.

Thankfully the cook took it as him trying to start a fight and within seconds his feet met the back of his blade. Within seconds though, he fell to the floor because a sharp rap on his head made him flinch.

"Knock it off. I'm trying to eat breakfast," Nami sniffed. Sanji, of course, starting swooning over her and that was his cue to sit down. He rubbed his head and grumbled under his breath taking his seat next to Brook. He dutifully ate the garbage breakfast that shit cook served.

Once he finished he went up to the gym and starting training. It was a normal day after that. He came down took a nap, ate lunch, went back up to train, came down for dinner, trained some more, and then hit the shower. He hadn't really talked to Nami or seen her since breakfast and he felt slightly bad about it. Would she be having some type of withdrawal?

He scrubbed the sweat off his body and felt his muscles relax under the warm water. He would have spent more time enjoying it but he wasn't wasteful. He yawned and wrapped a towel around his waist and started to make his way back to his shared room.

In retrospect he shouldn't have been parading his body around half naked and only covered by a towel when he knew a certain navigator wanted to jump him at any given moment. Of course fate had her rounding the corner just as he did and he slammed into her. Out of instinct his arms wrapped around her and caught her head to cushion the fall. With both of his arms busy saving Nami the towel that had been wrapped around his waist opened up. He had her pinned to the floor.

Why the hell did she have to be wearing such a short shirt? He felt himself starting to get aroused as he desperately tried to untangle himself. He tried to look at anything but her.

"Watch where you are going," Nami growled.

"You were the one spacing out and ran into me. I saved you," he snapped.

"I was in the middle of checking our route. You were the one that walked into me," she hissed. She pushed him roughly off of her and pulled down her shirt as a blush seemed to taint her cheeks. She wordlessly held her hand down to him as she looked away and studied the wall with a clenched jaw.

He accepted her offer and made sure to secure his towel a little better around his waist.

"So…" he started. Did she want to talk or something? The business from this morning seemed unfinished and he sure as hell wasn't going back to her ignoring him for two weeks.

"Carry on," she said. Her hand was still wrapped in his hand though.

"Carry on?" he asked.

"To bed or wherever else you were about to go…" she said slowly. She pulled her hand sharply out of his grasp as he gave it a gentle squeeze to remind her.

"Don't you need some type of physical contact?" he asked. He had one hand holding his towel securely in place and the other rested limply at his side. For some unexplainable reason the one that rested on his side twitched and itched to move. He let his arm reach out and rest lowly on her wrist.

Her eyes finally went to meet his again.

"I'm so sorry Zoro," she said quietly. Almost too quietly for him to hear. It wasn't like her to apologize over something and he tried to think about what could possibly be wrong. The wish was obviously her doing, and yes he had been pissed at first. She had just dumped a whole bunch of responsibility on his lap that he didn't really want to take on, but he had to do it. She was a friend and she was in need, there was no question of whether he would do it or not.

He felt himself sigh and he tugged her down to the aquarium room. They should probably talk about this, it would help her and he would finally understand what was going on… at least to some degree. She didn't protest but wordlessly followed him.

He took a seat at random, never once letting go of her hand and guiding her down in the seat beside him. She only hesitated for the slightest of seconds before she complied.

"Apologizing doesn't suit you," he said breaking the silence that had come over them.

"Neither does-" she stopped and chewed over her words. He had a sinking feeling that she had been about to say something _really stupid_. He only had a feeling because he couldn't read her mind but he knew what was going to be said. She was too predictable when it came to defending herself from exposing emotions. He knew her well enough without having to tell her that. She still hid behind money and tangerines like a life line but he knew without a doubt she loved this whole crew with all of her heart. She wouldn't be here if she didn't.

"That letter didn't explain much," he said quietly. His hand pulled her to his shoulder, it should make them both feel better, not having to look into each other's eyes. Nami didn't seem to mind, her head fit perfectly in the crook of his neck, and her breathing seemed to shallow as she relaxed.

"Weren't you paying attention at all this morning?" she grumbled. She sounded like she was attempting to be annoyed but she failed miserably. He shrugged.

"What do you want to know?" she asked after letting a quick silence consume them. Silence wasn't a bad thing, most times silence between them was comfortable and understanding but every time it filled the room or fell between them, tonight it felt strained.

"What do I have to cut to keep you safe?" he asked.

"You can't cut anything," she hissed. She sat up quickly her hand rising to bop him on the head and for once he didn't feel like receiving one of her hard punches. He caught her hand easily in his own and glared at her.

"What can I do to fix it then?"

The blush that filled her face was unmistakable. Her eyes shot away from his gaze and she pulled out of his grasp.

"I can't ask-"

"We're friends, we're crewmates, we're family," he growled, annoyed with her. "You can ask anything of me and I'd do it. Not without question. I'm not some mindless slave like that stupid Love Cook but I'll do it."

The silence rose up and threatened to overtake them again. Nami bit her lip, her eyes shot up nervously before she let out a slow shaky breath.

"Kiss me?" she asked.

"Is that what you're 'craving'?" he shot back. Nami nodded slowly her eyes closing as she slowly turned away.

"I told you I can't ask that from you. This is too weird… all because of that stupid dream, and that stupid box I'm barely able to keep myself from jumping in your lap right now. Do you have any idea how not in control I am?" her eyes shot up and he saw a flash of the Nami that had kissed him. The Nami that was wild and filled with lust. He had seen that look in her eye more than once now. It was still unnerving to see it directed at him. She quickly shut her eyes and took a deep breath.

His hand slid into her hand and he pulled her closer to his chest. Her eyes popped open and she studied him wearily.

"Probably doesn't help that I'm just in a towel, does it?" he teased.

Nami seemed to melt immediately into his arms and the way she was gaping at him now told him she hadn't been expecting him to tease her already.

"No," she said truthfully. Her one free hand was starting to slowly run up and down his arm. It was oddly distracting, her touch was warm and the slow pace her hand was going in was oddly distracting.

"Well it looks like you got your wish Nami," he murmured, he leaned closer letting his head rest on hers. His free hand went up to grasp her chin and hold it in place. He really didn't know her wish he was just seeing if she would confirm it to him. He knew it involved him and she did just ask for a kiss, he was trying to piece this together the best way he knew how.

"And how do you know my wish?" she growled, her cheeks flushing but she didn't pull away. She wouldn't pull away because she wanted this.

"I don't. I'm just doing what you told me to do," he said. He tilted her chin up and closed the distance between them.

Unlike the first kiss when he felt righteous anger this time was noticeably different. For one, he was surprised to find that he actually kind of liked how soft and warm her lips were and how perfectly they fit against his. He wasn't pissed at her, so the feelings that started to rear their heads were unavoidable. Nami moaned ever so slightly and he felt all control he had break then and there. His hand wound its way into her hair and pulled her closer, his other hand was still grasping hers and keeping them locked together, but his thumb was running circles across Nami's skin. He wanted to be closer to her, no, he had to be closer to her. He found himself lifting her up and putting her in his lap. His kiss deepening as Nami pressed her chest into his. For once he was sort of glad he was clad only in a towel and Nami was wearing a ridiculously exposing outfit. Everywhere their skin touched sent another wave of pleasure through him.

He wasn't an idiot. There was a reason why he had sworn off women. For several reasons really. Sure, he was a hot blooded male, but that was exactly why he shouldn't have them. They were a distraction. A pleasant distraction, but a distraction none the less. Still when Nami got hurt or put in the line of danger… wouldn't his reaction be the same? To keep an eye on her and make sure to cut down the strongest man there to make sure she was safe? Of course it was. But …

His thoughts were cut off as Nami's tongue darted into his mouth. He pushed her off lightly.

"Enough," he panted. He couldn't handle much more of that and respect her wishes of just wanting to kiss as she had told him earlier. Nami didn't seem to notice as her lips where now locked on to the sensitive area on his neck. He tried not to show her how much it was affecting him.

"Enough," he said again weakly. His hands gripped her shoulders and shook her lightly as if to bring back some sense. It seemed to work as Nami's face quickly started to blush and her eyes shot away from his gaze. She stood up off his lap and offered him a hand without looking down at him. He accepted it.

Her fingers locked into his.

"Let's try that again instead," she told him still blushing. He should have thought of that first, wasn't that what Chopper suggested? She started to pull him in the direction of the shared guys dorm and he followed her silently. If he was honest he was in a state of shock. He didn't think a simple kiss from Nami could feel so good.

It felt odd. Holding hands with her. Her palm was sweating and several times she had to let go and wipe it off but her fingers would always find their place back in his hand. When she finally let go when they were outside of his door he felt an odd sense of loss in his hand when she pulled away. His hand twitched to reach back out to her but he refrained. He would never say it out loud, but holding hands with Nami wasn't that bad.

"Goodnight," she said shyly and didn't look back at him but lazily tossed her hand up in the air. He didn't need to see her face to know that she was blushing deeply.

"Goodnight," he called back and then shot into his room.

_Fuck_, he thought as he closed the door behind him. He wasn't going to come out of this unattached.

()()()()()()()()

She hadn't really been expecting him to kiss her back or even to kiss her at first. She felt utterly powerless and why the fuck didn't he go put on some clothes? Didn't he know how hard of a time she was having trying to ignore all these… urges? She could blame it on her stupid wish but in the end that stupid wish was hers anyways. It was something she wanted. And. He. Kissed. Her. Back. She honestly hadn't been expecting that. She had been expecting him to remain completely still and just sort of let her kiss him, like he did that first time only he had pulled away so quickly she hadn't really had time to think much about it. Which helped. Being able to block out those perverted urges and the unshakable desire to kiss him had been easy for the past two weeks by ignoring him. She had been expecting him to give her something, he made it clear that he was going to help but kiss her? He even said it himself he wasn't a mindless dumb ass who would go along with every little thing she said. He challenged her, and he randomly kissed her in the midst of things just threw her off. She had wanted… to bicker with him more. It felt incomplete to just have him half argue with her and then kiss her like that.

He kissed her like he wanted to. She hadn't missed the look in his eyes and it didn't' help. That look that said he was all too willing to let her be the cat that cornered her mouse into a corner. The thought of Zoro going along with what she 'craved' made her shutter. She was suddenly cursing herself for telling him that she had just wanted to kiss and nothing further. She was more of a cock blocker than he was that night… She flushed at her thoughts as she made her way back to her room. It was going to be a long night for her.

* * *

**A/N: **My chapters are starting to get longer... :p. The plot starts picking up after this so pay attention! I don't plan on doing many recaps :p. Enjoy! Oh also... Sunday's have unofficially become my update days... :) In case you all were wondering.


	8. Differences

**The Wish Box**

Chapter 7: Differences

She was positive that things would be infinitely more awkward now. She had spent all night dreading breakfast which was one of three times a day the whole crew would be gathered, and if the whole crew was gathered then Zoro would be there. She swallowed as she stood outside the door. Loud noises could be heard inside and judging by the different squabbling noises inside, she was the last one to enter. She took a deep breath and steadied herself as her hand flexed over the door handle.

"Stop being a big baby," she muttered to herself. With resolve that was quickly disappearing she pushed open the door. She didn't stand there and awkwardly try to decide what to do; she bolted to the nearest seat possible, eager to sit down.

"Morning Nami-Swaaaaaann. The day isn't as vibrate as you," Sanji said twirling around to her with a wonderful breakfast loaded on her plate. She was pleased to see it consisted of mostly fruit; she wouldn't have to worry about Luffy trying to steal it.

"Shut up Love cook," growled Zoro.

She tensed just then realizing that the seat next to her was taken by the resident swordsman. _Of course that is my fucking luck_, she cursed silently, _how cliché._

"What did you say you shitty grass stain?" Sanji barked placing down her food neatly in front of her as he glared daggers at Zoro.

Zoro didn't even look up from his food.

"You. Nosebleed. Shut. Mouth," he grunted as he took a large bite of food.

Thankfully Sanji was distracted by Robin asking for more coffee. Normally the archeologist didn't interrupt the two men when they were about to fight but they never got into it during meals… for the most part. Something was straining between the two men more than usual. Maybe it was two years of not having fought but there was something else, Nami just couldn't place her finger on it. She was keenly aware of the swordsman as she hurriedly took a bite of food to distract to herself. It didn't work. Her body seemed to want to lean as close as possible to him and her spare hand had to grip the edge of her seat tightly to keep herself in place. _This is ridiculous_, she growled to herself.

Zoro's free hand lay limply on the side next to her. His palm was facing out, so inviting. She swallowed, and quickly became fixated with eating again. His fingers barely brushed against hers causing a wonderful tingling sensation at the contact. She wondered if he was doing this on purpose or not but she refused to look at him. _What the hell… why not?_ She thought. Her hand shot down and tangled into his under the table, and she scooted just a little closer to block their hands from sight. Instantly she relaxed and Zoro didn't even show anything suspicious. He just kept eating, occasionally he would bark something snide to Sanji but it was mostly under his breath and Sanji ignored him.

It wasn't a long breakfast, maybe a few minutes. She had been the last to enter. Everyone seemed to have their fill and was starting to make their way out. It didn't escape her attention that Robin winked at her and Chopper was giving her a curious glance as they exited. She tried not to flush and it didn't go unnoticed.

"What's up girly?" asked Franky. "You look like you are in la la land," he added. Her eyes narrowed at him.

"Nothing," she growled out. She took it as time to separate her hand from Zoro's, the room was slowly emptying. Usopp had left as well and it would seem odd if she was sitting so close to Zoro for no reason. They had plenty of space now as the sniper had been right next to Zoro. Zoro though didn't take a hint and didn't move from his spot. His shoulder still brushed against hers distracting her thoughts. _You would think I'm a freaking pristine_, she sighed at her thoughts. She wasn't sure why the small act of pure innocence, like holding her hand, was driving her to her breaking point, but she was doing her best to ignore it.

"Hey Nami," her captain called out to her with his face stuffed with food. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and leaned against the table, her arm propping her cheek as she waited patiently for Luffy to finish swallowing his food.

"Yes?" she drawled out lazily.

Zoro abruptly stood up and made his way out of the kitchen. Her eyes followed him until he walked out.

"When are we going to reach the next island?" Luffy asked excitedly, after he finished downing his food. He reached over for Zoro's left overs and hurriedly began stuffing it down his throat.

"Should be seeing land soon. Another hour or so," she told him.

"WHAT? Why didn't you tell me earlier?" he sputtered spewing bits of food all over the plate he had practically just vacuumed clean. He abandoned his empty plate as he tore out of the kitchen to start looking for land. She snickered to herself.

"You know if it's longer than an hour you're the one that is going to have to deal with him," Zoro growled as he came back into the room and sat a little further away from her. She glanced over him wondering why the hell he had gotten up and came back so suddenly but she didn't say anything. She shrugged, mindless lifting her fork to her lips.

"He'll figure it out sooner than that anyways. You know how he is," she smiled lightly at her thoughts letting her mind wander. It had been a dangerous habit one she had been trying to avoid. Her thoughts, when left alone, often traveled to the 'wish'. She was tired of stressing herself out. There was no real need for it. Things were working out fine so far, because well for one she wasn't dead and the allotted time it was supposed to happen meant that obviously something was wrong.

Maybe Chopper's crazy theory about the wishes combining themselves was just a theory. Maybe Zoro was actually right and none of it was real. Maybe she had just fabricated it.

But that impulse to kiss him that first time she had fought it and her body literally took over. It stuffed her control into the back of her mind and she watched horrified as it acted for her. And then the night before… after such a strange dream that couldn't have possibly been hers. She had never felt something like that for the swordsman before. Sure she thought he was attractive and she was just as attracted to him for the simple fact that he stood up to her hot headed ways but she had never felt the _need_ to act on it. Even now the urge to hold his hand or lean into his shoulder was making her skin tingle and her head ache as she resisted. She shivered and took another bite out of her breakfast. That and she had been unable to open that stupid box since she had sealed it with her first wish. It was stuck together so tightly she would have thought that it was made without an opening. She couldn't tell why she had the urge to open the box again, it just felt like maybe it would release her from her stupid wish.

She fidgeted and her free hand shot to her pocket where she had kept the box on her persons since Robin explained to her what she thought it was.

"_It's a small box used to trick people. From the looks of this letter even this man, Sebastian doesn't know the full extent of its powers. I have a book here that shows a small portion of what it may actually do. It is implied that there is a lot more."_

An ancient box infused with some odd extraction from a devil fruit to grant 'wishes'. Mostly desires. And if it couldn't grant desires… well then the box consumed the person's soul as substance to sustain it for its next victims wish.

"It's not like I'm using it anyways," she growled under her breath to no one in particular. She had been talking about her soul and she wasn't sure how Brook connected it to his question, she assumed he had already asked her a question.

"Does that mean I can see your panties?" Brook inquired jostling her out her thoughts.

"No," she hissed and hit him hard upside his head. His typical response made her notice just who was in her company, Franky, Sanji, Zoro, and Brook. Normally this wouldn't have bothered her at all but being around two self-proclaimed perverts and Sanji this early in the day with only Zoro as her shield didn't seem like it would be much fun. She finished the rest of her breakfast and marched back out to the deck. Stretching she braced herself for a new day.

()()()()()()()

The door swung shut after Nami and he felt his shoulders instantly slacken.

"What's with the sexual tension between you two?" Franky asked almost immediately. He glared at the older man. Franky had been insinuating things all morning before Nami had even shown up to breakfast and it was getting old fast.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he growled and chewed his new plate of food a bit slower to keep the scowl on his face in place. He gets up for a minute to relieve himself and Luffy takes it upon himself to empty his plate. Not that he was about to complain when the navigator was so lost in her thoughts beside him. Any little thing could set her off. He was pretty sure the rise in his debt would more than triple if he mentioned what was going on with Nami. Not that he cared or anything he just hated how much he owed already.

"She was frozen stiff the entire time like you were going to jump on her," Franky supplied. He shrugged.

"Does it have to do with the panties a few weeks ago?" Brook piped up.

"Or with last night?" Franky teased.

"What happened last night?" barked Sanji but he was ignored as Zoro glared at the older men across from him.

"Nothing happened last night. I took a shower and came back to the room," he hissed for what felt like the millionth time. Franky had been on his case about it since last night.

"Your hair was dry when you came back," Brook stated.

"It's short it doesn't take long to dry," he felt his teeth grinding together.

"Uh huh. Since when do you take a long shower and come back with a SUPER hicky on your neck?" teased Franky.

"What?" Sanji snarled from the other side of the room. It was ignored again.

"It wasn't a hicky," he snapped immediately. "I told you I dropped a bottle of shampoo on my neck. See it's gone already," he said pulling down his collar and showing the two men his clean neck.

He wasn't sure why he was so adamantly defending himself; it wasn't that big of a deal… still the threat of Nami's debt rise hung over his head like a deadly reminder. He found that he didn't really care anymore; she hadn't said a word to him in weeks about it. Maybe for the sake of an argument he would say that he was trying to actually save face for his friend. She would hate for the others to find out this way, and she was already embarrassed enough. No, he didn't care about that either, it was her fault and she needed to take responsibility. He couldn't tell you why he was so defensive, he just was. It wasn't any of their business.

"Still doesn't explain Nami's behavior," Franky said, a smirk graced his lips as if he had caught him.

"Maybe the fact that she was trying to seduce you that night a few weeks ago comes into play here. Yo ho ho ho~ She had been avoiding you for a few days after that."

Leave it to Brook to fucking mention the one thing he had told him not to. Although he had a few minutes earlier as well and everyone had ignored him, it was different when he said it plainly and without the mention of panties. He was about to respond when Sanji's foot slammed down on the table next to him.

"Did you touch her?" he seethed.

It was a well-known secret yet not a secret that the resident cook had some stronger feelings for his two female friends than other girls he normally doted on. It had been like that from day one. He would always swoon and say how much he loved her but they all thought of it as a façade. He was a 'gentleman' first and foremost and the girls came before everyone else on the crew. He wasn't a bad friend though and begrudged Zoro would admit it to his thoughts but never out loud. He just couldn't see eye to eye with the cook on several things concerning the opposite sex. Nami for one, wasn't a freaking princess. She didn't need to be waited on hand and foot, she was more than capable of taking care of herself. Sure in fights he would make sure to have her back, but day to day things the girl was fine on her own. Sanji spent way too much time flirting and making a complete ass out of himself in Zoro's opinion and all for just a pat on the head from the girl in question. It just wasn't worth the trouble.

Being accused however, of touching Nami, by Sanji in that seething tone wasn't something that he was just going to let slide by. It wasn't like he had done anything against her will and he sure as hell hadn't hurt her. Her stupid secret be damned, he wasn't going to lie to his friends and he sure as hell wasn't going to let them think that he had started any of it.

"Right after she jumped me and stuck her tongue down my throat," he couldn't help the snide tone in his voice.

He barely had enough time to draw his sword to counter a blow that would have surely broken a few bones. He'd give the shit cook one prop for the two year absence. He hadn't been drooling over girls in that time period.

"Hey now guys…" Franky looked torn on trying to tear them apart. The ferocity in which they were exchanging blows seemed serious. For these two a light rivalry was the most that had existed between them but the way Sanji was kicking and how Zoro was being sure to nick a few of the cook's clothing (the skin beneath had signs of small scratches), he wasn't sure what to make of it. It almost seemed like there was something close to a serious fight going on. Brook (of course) didn't help the matter at all when he started playing a lively tune on his violin saying they needed to celebrate the union of two crewmates.

"Girls are supposed to save themselves for marriage!" roared Sanji. A fierce kick caught Zoro in the ribs and sent him crashing into the table. Franky felt a vein throb. Zoro had to refrain from rolling his eyes.

"Take it outside before you destroy the kitchen," he growled. He made to grab at them but Zoro was already up and the rate they exchanged blows was hard to keep up with. They were truly monsters.

"I didn't fuck her. If that's what you're worried about," Zoro snarled. He had a sword in each hand. His mouth was surprisingly missing a sword. Zoro tsked but effectively shoved Sanji off. The cook had almost immediately calmed down after he had said that. It was almost comical. The cook took a long drag out of his smoke, before straightening his tie.

"You don't fuck ladies you big brut… you make love to them. You are so incompetent."

"Apparently not so incompetent to Nami. Stupid witch did jump on me," he drawled sheathing his swords. He was still taunting the cook but the sudden explosion of serious had washed away. Besides he could draw his sword faster than Sanji could kick him.

"Don't talk about Nami like that. Got it? I will roast you for it," Sanji warned.

"Why? She started it," he snarled out. It was true even if the phrase seemed utterly childish to him but he wasn't one to take back his words. He knew now that Sanji understood and that the cook in his own way was reassured that Zoro had not violated any gentlemen like behavior besides 'kissing and then telling'. He just let the words sink in to Sanji as the cook's glare faded into a heart broken look. It wasn't real heart break or maybe it was. Zoro didn't really care. He just knew that Sanji would get over it and act the same as always.

A whimper escaped from Sanji as the dumb ass finally realized exactly what he was fighting Zoro for. His precious Nami, choosing that stupid swordsman over him in her moment of weakness. He would have to make sure he gave her extra attention should she feel the loneliness of night creep up on her again.

"She isn't a virgin anyways," Zoro muttered mostly under his breath. Too bad Sanji heard him and a flurry of motion they were back in the familiar pattern of fighting. Just before either could exchange blows though, Franky managed to snag them both.

With a glare he tossed them out of the kitchen.

"OY! No more breaking shit, ya hear me? It isn't very SUPERRRRR!" he scolded. He slammed the door shut behind them. A moment later he dumped Brook out next to them as well.

All three men paused to look at each other before Sanji got up and brushed the imaginary dirt off of his pants. Brook just lay on the ground and began playing a soft melody on his violin.

"Don't let that happen again," warned Sanji.

"What is number 7 doing telling number 1 what to do again?" he growled.

"Listen here you _piece of shit_-"

"It wasn't my choice. If you don't want it happening talk to Nami," he growled interrupting him. He scooted back so that he was resting on the railing and could lean there easily. His head tilted back in a familiar way that would let him nap comfortably while he sat up.

He heard the door to the kitchen slam open and shut and Franky's loud protest but the cook wasn't kicked out again.

Fucking love cook. Thinking he owned Nami for whatever reason. Sanji was some sick pervert that had swooned as soon as he saw her, like some fairy tale shit of love at first sight. It was just another thing he couldn't see eye to eye with the cook. Brook chuckled quietly beside him and he glared at the musician.

"I'd figure it would only be a matter of time before you and Nami got together after that. The tension between you two has been obvious since I met you guys," Brook supplied when Zoro still hadn't said anything other than glare at him.

"We aren't together," he snapped immediately. Aware that it sounded like denial his cheeks flushed. He yawned and let his head drop forward so that his chin rested on his chest. A nap would be the best way out of this, and then later he could train some more.

"Yo ho ho~ Then you won't mind if I go ask to see her panties," Brook said standing up.

He shrugged he really didn't care what Brook did. He wasn't a threat at all to him. Nami could handle him with ease.

"Maybe Sanji will help me look for them later-"

"OY!" he hissed springing up to chase after the perverted skeleton. "Stop being a pervert!"

He'd give Brook some credit. The stupid skeleton was _fast_.

* * *

**A/N: **I found this chapter ridiculously hard to write. I scrapped it twice because I was unhappy with it and it is mostly Sanji's fault (I even think his reaction is downplayed... he is gonna make me pay for that later) and he is going to appear later with a bunch of new insults for our favorite swordsman. :p. I'm not going to defend my writing... and like I said last chapter pay attention. This one is very important later on.


	9. Boring Island

**The Wish Box**

Chapter 8: Boring Island 

"Isn't the pose set yet?" Luffy whined. "This island sssuuucks," he groaned impatiently not waiting for her answer.

"Luffy," warned Usopp as the navigator turned to glare at Luffy. Her glare shot to him and he gulped careful to not make eye contact and stare at the ground pointedly. Right, no interfering with her wrath or he'd get sucked into it.

"We've only been here for a few hours," she growled. "Don't you want to explore it?"

At the mention of exploring Luffy instantly perked up but the pout didn't leave his lips.

"You won't let me," he snapped back. The pout disappeared with a firm look of stubbornness taking its place.

"I have to keep an eye on you. I'm looking for some valuable information and I can't have you getting in trouble screwing that up before I get the chance," she told him. She knew he wouldn't be listening but it was worth it anyways.

"What information are you looking for? Is there treasure on this island?" Luffy asked. It was seriously amazing how quickly his mood could shift.

"Don't be an idiot," Zoro growled from next to him. Luffy shrugged it off and began to chat with Usopp (who began to swear that he had heard some islanders talk about treasure not too far from town).

She stared wistfully at a few stores that had some clothing that would complement her curves but she knew her answers wouldn't be held in there. Maybe on the way back she could manage to stop by and pick up a few more outfits. After all she did have three very capable men around to lunge it back to the ship for her. She shook her head sadly continuing to walk to the edge of town.

They had all split up into a few groups, one to remain (a little more) inconspicuous, and two to cover more ground faster. Nami had taken Luffy mostly because she was one of the few that could make him behave for a short period of time. Usopp had then volunteered to come with her curious about the type of shop she was searching for. Zoro she had dragged with her because she knew the second he said he wanted to find something to do to kill time he would get lost and separated and she was _**not**_ adding that stress of having to find him later to her plate.

Chopper and Sanji were going to the market place for food and herbs. Chopper had promised to keep his eyes out for information and said he would look after he picked up some supplies. Robin was heading to the book shop saying she would look for answers there. Franky was in the junk shop searching for scraps of metal and useless junk that he could turn into formidable weapons. She was kind of surprised that Usopp was with them and not the shipwright but she didn't really care. She wasn't worried about him discovering her secret. Luffy was too dense to figure it out and Zoro knew better than to blab about her 'problem'. Brook had remained behind volunteering to watch the ship for a few hours.

She growled to herself.

"Huh?" Zoro muttered lowly so that only she could hear him while eyeing her wearily. She had just randomly started growling under her breath. Luffy was behaving so it couldn't have been his fault and when she was like that it wasn't uncommon for her to strike out and hit the nearest person. He liked to know in advance when her furious punches were coming.

"If Brook fucking touches my panties again I will kill him," she told him.

He really knew better than to snicker, but he did it anyways. Luckily for him Luffy had stopped dead in his tracks and Nami slammed into him.

"Luffy -!" she hissed.

"Is this the kind of shop Nami?" he asked looking at the building in front of him.

When she had explained what she was looking for earlier they all kind of looked at her oddly. An older looking run down shop that had a creepy air to it with few to no costumers coming or going from it, was what they were supposed to be looking for. That was all the detail she had given, and when pressed why she wanted to find it she simply snarled that it was her business and not any of theirs.

"No you idiot," she hissed, standing up quickly to hit him hard upside the head. "I said creepy and practically abandoned."

"This is creepy. Look at all those blushing girls and guys acting all weird in there," he said innocently rubbing his head where a large lump was forming. A floral shop was definitely not what she was looking for. She was just about to punch him again when Zoro hummed and interrupted her.

"Is it a shop like that?" he asked her pointing to a place directly across the street.

She was seriously starting to wonder if it was impossible for a person to kill another person with a glare that would cause them to simultaneously combust. Obviously it wasn't possible or Zoro would have been dead a thousand times over.

"That has to be it," chirped up Usopp. He was eyeing the store like it was about to sprout teeth and come running at them. Luffy was chuckling and starting to make his way across the street.

She shot after him grabbed his wrist and successfully pulled him back to the sidewalk.

"I don't really need to explain to you that I'm _**not**_ looking for a lingerie shop," she shot Zoro a pointed look that promised retribution later as he smirked at her. If she felt like telling the others what was going on with her she would have killed him right then and there, but seeing as she didn't want to make even more of an ass out of herself she kept quiet and settled to glare at him.

"It's practically abandoned and creepy," Usopp pointed out. His hand going to his chin to thoughtfully stroke it as a far off look reached his eye.

"That isn't what I meant," she hissed.

"What are you looking for exactly then Nami? Why don't you tell us?" Luffy asked.

"Yeah," Usopp agreed settling down to stare hard at her with Luffy. Her glance shifted ever so slightly to Zoro who was just wearing an amused smirk. _Ass hole_, she thought.

She took a deep breath. She was about to lecture them on why they couldn't rush a girl when she was shopping but she stopped short. She had no idea what she was looking for. The description of the shop she was searching for was something she had read in novels where the mistress or heroine was cursed and some random creepy shop appeared out of nowhere and supplied all the answers. She bit her lip realizing how childishly naïve her thoughts had been.

"Alright why don't you two go on and explore? Just be back to the ship by sundown," she told them feeling oddly like a mother that was being pestered by her kids and giving in to them. Luffy's face broke out into a grin as he shot away with Usopp.

"Hope you find what you're looking for Nami," he called over his shoulder as he dashed around the corner.

Excitement always followed Luffy. If she had been honest with herself she would say she had dragged him along because finding a creepy old shop in this perking happy town would have been something that just drew Luffy. He had a knack for trouble, and having it find him.

She felt herself sigh and folded her legs under her to pout on the edge of the sidewalk. Her legs curled up slightly so she could rest her chin in her hands and glare at the offending shop that had wrecked her hopes across the street. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Zoro still standing there a hard look plastered on his face as he stared at her without any sign of pity.

"You're just going to give up looking like that?"

"It's a rare object that a few people have heard of. I highly doubt any answers are going to be in this exact town just because we so happened to land here. Not everything always works out perfectly," she snapped. She didn't move from her rigid position but she glared at him out of the corner of her eye.

"It won't work out unless you keep trying," he said. He wasn't bothering to hide the contempt in his voice at how easily she had given in. She felt herself bristle at his judgment.

"Yes I know this is all my fault and I have to fix it. I'm aware of that," she hissed addressing his tone more than what he had actually said. "It doesn't help that you decide to treat it as a fucking joke and point out flower and lingerie shops," she seethed. For once Zoro didn't respond, not even with a stupid remark about how he hadn't pointed out the flower shop.

"Did you ever think that maybe they might hold some answers?" he suggested after a moment of silence. His arms crossed and his weight shifted slightly to one leg giving her the strong impression of a jock hitting on a girl, the only thing that was missing was the cocky smirk. It wasn't in a teasing tone. It was a tone that implied he was completely serious and it threw his whole look off and made her take his words seriously.

"Who the hell in their right mind would go into a flower shop to look for answers about a wooden cursed box?"

"Luffy seemed to think it was creepy," he added.

"Because he is an idiot," she hissed. She was well aware that Zoro's thoughts were similar to her own. That he trusted their captain's instincts as much as they trusted him. Blindly and without thought. So he must have known why she had dragged him along.

"It can't hurt to try," he said crossing his arms.

The familiar sound of contempt in his voice still put her on edge. Did he think she doubted her captain? No, never in a million years and even beyond that if it was possible. She doubted this fucking island had any answers. It was too boring, too normal; to have anything important like the secrets of an ancient Wish Box squirrelled away somewhere. She was positive that she would have felt something sinister somewhere if there was anything to be found. Even Luffy had said this island was boring.

She stood up making sure to glare at him with a force that should send some amount of fear into him. If he was scared he didn't show it and kept a completely straight poker face.

She didn't say anything but marched to the door of the floral shop and swung it open. The bell chimed loudly behind her and several people froze to eye her wearily as she marched determinedly to the front counter. She was aware that the bell chimed behind her and the soft footfalls that followed her but she ignored him. Clearing her throat she tried her best to flash the male florist behind the counter her winning smile.

"I have a couple of questions…" she began. The man blushed and his eyes darted from Zoro to Nami as if he could tell that whatever happened wasn't going to end well. It seemed like it might be a common occurrence for rowdy couples make a scene at the shop, as the nervous smile of anticipation answered her. Either that or Zoro wasn't trying very hard to look friendly. She didn't bother to check knowing that her resolve to be straight forward would possibly break if she looked at him. The situation was embarrassing enough as it was. And now here she was dragging strangers into it.

"I'll try my best to answer," the man mumbled. He shot a glance to a smaller looking florist who was busying making sure to prune some flowers a few feet away from him. The girl ignored him a shy smile on her lips.

"I want to know if you have ever heard of anything called a Wish Box," Nami demanded more than asked. She made sure to keep her tone strong as she batted her eye lashes and keeping a sweet smile in place. She leaned forward slightly over the counter to give the florist a peek at her chest that her revealing top showed a lot of. The man's eyes shot down for the briefer of a second before he nervously rubbed the back of his head.

"I don't think so Miss," he said apologetically. She let her lips curl up in a frown and her hand went up to her throat to rub it absentmindedly (while blocking her revealing chest from view).

"Well damn," she muttered under her breath before smiling at him and starting to straighten up to leave.

"But now that I think about it … it does sound familiar like a story I heard about when I was a kid…" he said.

"So a fairy tale?" she pressed. He nodded, his demeanor relaxing around her quiet quickly. _Men are so predictable_, she thought snickering inwardly. She jumped slightly when she felt Zoro's presences directly beside her and his arm brushed lightly against hers. She shot him a look.

"Yes I'm almost certain of it. Actually my grandmother runs the shop across the street at that shop," he said pointing to the lingerie shop across the street.

"Is your grandmother some kinky pervert? What kind of old woman runs a lingerie shop?" Zoro asked speaking up for the first time. She whirled around so quickly to hit him upside the head the movement looked like a blur.

"You have no tact!" she hissed before leaning back over the counter to smile encouragingly at the young florist. "Is she the one that told you the story?" she asked as if she hadn't been seeing red only seconds before.

The man paled looking startled as his eyes shot nervously between Zoro and Nami. He nodded wondering what the hell he was sentencing his poor grandmother too.

"She might not be there," he added quickly trying to save the old woman. "She likes to take her lunch break around now."

She sighed turning slightly to glare at Zoro from where her place on the counter.

"Look, now he thinks we're going to disturb his pervert grandmother," she snapped making sure to puff up her cheeks in annoyance as she protruded her lip in a typical pout that she knew Zoro hated in particular. She wasn't aiming at Zoro though, and the charm seemed to work perfectly on the florist as his cheeks deepened in color, she might have leaned forward a bit more as well. Why not kill two birds with one stone? Annoy Zoro and get this pervert florist to talk about his pervert grandma. The Swordsman's eye narrowed at her dangerously and he was about to say something when the florist interrupted.

"No she really does go on her break around now," he defended raising his arms up defensively as Zoro glared at him. Obviously thinking that the glare Zoro directed at him was Zoro blaming him for Nami's irritability.

"Fine then we can just wait until she gets back," Zoro said. He eyed a few of the flowers with mild feigned interest. His hands flexed over his swords as if he was itching to draw them and raise hell.

"Not here, surely? Unless you want to buy your girlfriend some flowers," the young florist suggested.

Both Navigator and Swordsman glared at the florist so fiercely he paled considerably and excused himself. Did they really give off the couple vibe? She highly doubted it. Not with the way they were practically at each other's throat the entire time, she wasn't sure where the stupid man came to the conclusion. Maybe it was the fact that they came into the shop together? Nami sighed.

"I really don't want to hang out in a flower shop…" she said quietly to him as the florist excused himself and rushed off to start watering some plants.

"It smells in here," Zoro agreed. "Maybe we should copy off that pervy grandma and get some lunch?" he suggested.

"Fine. You're buying," she told him as she twirled around to face the soon-to-be-doomed lingerie shop. Zoro seemed to twitch slightly but he regained his composure.

"At least some food here won't be poisoned by that stupid love cook," he growled under his breath and she was surprised to hear more contempt in that statement that in his earlier conversation with her. Zoro liked Sanji's cooking even if he wouldn't say it out loud, everyone knew it. It wasn't like Sanji ever fished for compliments (from the guys at least) or cared what the guys on the crew thought anyways. That and she knew he would never actually poison Zoro's food so she couldn't help but wonder what had happened to darken Zoro's mood to such an extent.

She stormed out of the flower shop and was surprised as she took a deep breath of fresh air how she felt instantly better, she hadn't even been aware that the overwhelming scent of flowers in such a confined space had started to give her a mild headache. Zoro had the same relieved look on his face but she chose to leave out the fact that it was his idea. After all they did sort of have a lead because of it.

"That was fast," she noted.

"It helps when you practically flash him," Zoro growled. For a split second his hand twitched and looked like he was about to reach out to her before his eye glanced down the road. She wasn't imagining the contempt in his voice this time.

"You've never had a problem with my methods before," she noted.

"You're methods are always unmoral," he shot back.

"I am a pirate. Who says I have to be moral?"

"A person without morals is just a devil… like you."

She sneered.

"Like your morals are so high and mighty. You don't complain when I manage to get more booze for a long cruise."

"That-" his stomach growled loudly. They both looked down at it in amazement as it interrupted their small argument. Nami sighed breaking the tension.

"Let's just go get food."

"I think I saw a restaurant back that way," Zoro said pointing in a direction they hadn't explored yet.

"It was back this way," she told him heading in the opposite direction and smirking as he mumbled something under his breath and followed her.

They fell into a comfortable silence as they found the restaurant and waited patiently for their food to be brought out. It had been a while since silence between them had been comfortable. Ever since that kiss she could feel the strain.

Zoro's hand was curved upwards in the same way it had been at breakfast earlier this morning. And even if they were sitting at a booth he was sitting next to her instead of across from her. His shoulder bumped into hers as he took a large swig of alcohol from the bottle he had ordered. His eyes were trained on his napkin as he stared off into space.

So maybe he still felt the strain. She took a nervous breath and let her hand slip into his. It was obviously an invite. She should have known better than to think he would actually be forward or even ask something from her. Simplicity was something Zoro did almost as well as their captain. At the contact of his hand in hers, her mind began to race. The night before, when he had become almost animal like in kissing her… she shivered. She had never been kissed with such abandon before.

Zoro's eye glanced at her for a brief second before he turned his attention on the dessert menu with fascination. The lighting in the restaurant was a little dim but she could have sworn that his cheeks were slightly pink. She was about to point that out and tease him but just then the waiter showed up with a small platter of the appetizer they had ordered.

She sighed and pushed it a little closer to Zoro.

"I didn't hear you go to bed last night," he finally said. It was a statement not really a question but she realized the silence was eating him up. As much as he would swear he hated conversation it was obviously starting to bug him that she wasn't talking. She shrugged. The 'wish' was starting to act up making her thoughts race even more. _**Why was he paying attention when she went to bed or not**__? _The Wish asked. _It doesn't matter,_ she scolded, _he would hear anyways since my room is right above his. _

"I slept in Chopper's office," she offered. She glanced at the plate and slowly picked up one of the steaming pieces of fried fish. She popped it in her mouth savoring the flavor and leaned back against her seat.

"Why?" he asked mimicking her.

"I didn't want to face Robin after…" she trailed off. "I wasn't in the mood to be made fun of," she finished.

He could understand completely where she was coming from with that. As soon as he appeared an hour after he grunted that he was going to take a shower Franky had been all over him. He had even gone as far as to point out that Zoro's hair was dry and then the next morning insinuating that something was going on between them and starting world war three with Sanji…

"Franky knows," he said grunting.

He realized that the self-proclaimed pervert might approach Nami soon and he figured he would give her some type of warning in advance. Better to face her wrath now than have to deal with it when he wasn't expecting it.

"What?" she hissed. Her hand flew out of his and went to hit him hard upside the head but his hand caught hers with ease.

"Sanji and Brook too," he added with disinterest and continued to chew his food.

He wasn't sure how the hell she managed it sitting next to him in a booth but the wench managed to knee him right in the groin.

* * *

**A/N: **Mwahahahahaha! *cough* Excuse me... I couldn't resist that evil fit of laughter. You'll be seeing more of the villain soon (maybe) and more of the other Straw Hats. This story in general has turned out to be one of my favorites to write ever! Just thought I'd let everyone know! I'm super excited must use exclaimation points! Until next time

_~Oceanwind~_


	10. Pervert Grandma

**The Wish Box**

Chapter 9: Pervert Grandma

"Slow down," Zoro ordered as she stomped off back towards the shop. She was tempted to take a hard right and lose him but she knew that wouldn't solve anything and she would regret it later. She had been expecting this from the start, but… well she hadn't been ready for it just yet. Zoro even explained (with a higher pitched voice than normal) that he had just said they had kissed.

So that was why it sounded like there was an explosion in the kitchen right after she had left this morning. It didn't matter, Sanji wasn't really mad. If he had he would have definitely talked to her about it by now, he would have pulled her aside before the groups split up and made a huge fuss. No Sanji had more respect than that, and he respected her decisions. Besides it wasn't like there was anything romantic between her and the cook… She had gone right back to hardly paying him much attention right after they were reunited after two years. In fact almost all of the crew's relationships had gone right back to where they had been before they were separated the exception being with this stupid Wish Box rapidly changing the course of friendship between her and the swordsman.

"I said slow down," Zoro grunted. His hand shot out and wrapped around hers forcing her to stop. She glared up at him and to give the swordsman credit, he barely flinched. She was still fuming and she really didn't trust herself to speak just yet. She had gotten them kicked out of the restaurant (after childishly causing a scene when Zoro's arm bumped into hers again after he 'told her that incident this morning'). She couldn't help it. She wasn't sure what to do to handle this whole situation.

She should feel somewhat grateful that he hadn't told them her little secret with the Wish Box but at the same time that meant that they all thought it was really her doing all this. Should she be grateful that only a few knew what was really going on with her? Or at this stage should she just come clean, own up to her mistake, and ask her friends for help? The later choice was obviously something she should do, Luffy was going to be furious once he found out that she was in trouble and she hadn't asked him for help. She sighed letting her gaze drop away from Zoro.

She wanted to yell at him some more, she still was pissed, but the words just weren't there. What could she possibly say that he wouldn't have the perfect sarcastic reply for? No it was better just to brood in silence and maybe that would make him feel uncomfortable. She jerked her hand away rubbing her wrist with a little more show than needed. She needed to find something that would punish him, to let him know just how truly pissed off she was.

"Why? Can't the 'Great Zoro' keep up? Or are you too slow?" she shot at him unable to keep silent.

"After being kneed in the balls I have plenty of reason to be slow, witch," he hissed dangerously.

Maybe that had been crossing the line but she was all about doing that lately.

"It's not like you have been using them."

She leaned to the side of the building, letting her hand fall perfectly on her hip in the perfect cocky pose that screamed 'I just won'.

"How would you know?"

His voice was hauntingly calm, like he was when he played chess, or fought a strong opponent. He was setting something up and if she didn't figure it out quickly she would fall victim to the trap he was setting up.

"Please," she scoffed. "You're more pent-up than a than a playboy millionaire on his first day of swearing off sex."

"Creative," he noted smirking slightly. "But that isn't the case. _Trust me_," he stressed.

She shivered suddenly getting a very detailed mental image of just why Zoro wouldn't be sexually frustrated. She leaned forward against her will so that her head came in contact with his chest. _Dammit_, she hissed trying to push herself back. Her hands found their way to either side of his chest as she struggled to lift her head. She wanted to get away from him! Her body however wasn't listening and her mouth started moving on its own.

"Tsk. The way you were kissing me the other night says otherwise," she whispered.

They were in the middle of the sidewalk for crying out loud, people were around, why hadn't he pushed her off? She struggled to gain control but the wish was in full control. She heard Zoro's low growl and shivered. Zoro wasn't one to brag excessively unless he was one hundred percent sure of it, and he was proud to a fault. The man would even admit a weakness to an enemy if the case presented itself because he prided himself in overcoming his faults and still winning each time. No, she should know better than to challenge him with this. He wouldn't lie. She struggled to show the panic in her voice. She was silently pleading with him to realize that something was wrong, that this wasn't her. Her head shot up and her eyes met his. _Zoro_, she pleaded internally, _realize something this is wrong. Please?_

"Can't handle what you wished for wench?" he hissed in challenge. His eye gleamed with something that she couldn't place.

_No, no… I cannot_, she thought as she licked her lips. Her thoughts felt very far away from her, her body reacting before she could fight. She leaned forward even more, forcing her chest against his and noticing that his arm wrapped around her to support her, her chest heaved dramatically against him. She noticed his eye as it dilated in lust, and inwardly she cursed.

"You don't know what I wished for," she whispered quietly still silently begging him to notice this was off. Only the ghost of what had happened last night occurred to her and horror struck in her heart. She couldn't tell him what her wish was even if she tried, she had tried days ago but her lips had remained locked and every time Zoro mentioned it or brought it up the same phrase escaped her tauntingly before she even knew it. The wish was talking for her, making sure to get what it wanted and thankfully that wasn't her life yet. His lips were entirely too close, and the warm breath that ghosted across her lips had her practically melting. This wasn't fair. After this whole thing was fixed she would never be able to look at him the same way again.

"I don't need to know what it was to know that I'm involved, and that you want me," his voice was husky and for one wild brief and crazy moment she thought he was under the Wish's mercy as well as his hand came up and stroked her cheek. His thumb resting close to her lips as he pulled her forward.

"Kids these days... Get a fucking room already. And once you calm down, come to my shop. I have some pieces that would accent her breasts nicely."

The words seemed to break the hold that had been on Nami and she pushed herself off the swordsman. She whipped around to glare at the feminine voice.

"Listen here you-"

She stopped her threat hanging unfinished in the air as she eyed the person that had addressed her. It didn't look fully human. It was maybe four feet tall give or take an inch, with a back that was bent so far over in age it was almost a ninety degree angle. It was wearing a blue corset that was holding up sagging flesh that was just revolting to look at so Nami refused to let her gaze drop, she heard Zoro gag beside her and assumed that he had looked. White wiry hair was pulled into two neat pig tails. The face itself looked rather human, only a few wrinkles here and there, but the makeup that was applied made the face look longer, and she'll be honest, clown like. In fact her first impression was this is Buggy's mother. An eye brow rose and she realized that she had one finger held up to scold and her mouth was hanging there open.

"Are you the owner of that pervert shop?" Zoro asked bluntly beside her recovering quicker.

The old lady moved so fast it was a blur and a sharp slap could be heard along with 'what the fuck' from Zoro.

"It isn't a pervert shop," she/it sniffed. "If anyone is a pervert it is you. Groping a poor girl in public like that. Do you have no shame?"

Zoro's face tinged a shade darker. His hand automatically resting on his belt where his swords were, in a stance that screamed bring it on old hag. To give some credit Zoro, although it wasn't much credit, he was easily put on the defensive when it came to verbal word play. Nami smirked. She liked this old lady.

"So you do own the shop right?" she asked cutting off Zoro from hissing out devil, witch, hag, or some other term that would get them nowhere fast.

The old lady's quizzical eyes shot from the swordsman to her. She felt a shiver run through her as a familiar shade of brown eyes glanced over her. They weren't her shade, and the crow's feet and sagging skin made them slightly different. But they were eyes she knew very well. _Bellemere_, she thought immediately. She knew it was childish and she tried to squash it away quickly, but the eyes held her captive. She thought she would never get to see eyes like that again. Even the look in them held the same mischievous glint that her mother's once held.

"What's it to you?" the old lady huffed as she marched in through the doors.

Nami blushed and couldn't stop herself from trailing in after the lady. A whole fleet of marines could have been waiting in there ready for ambush and she wouldn't have cared, those eyes…

"We talked to a guy across the street about something. He said you might know a little more than him," Zoro said when it was obvious that Nami was unable to answer. He brushed past her and sent her a quizzical look but she ignored him. Her eyes trained on the back of the old lady's head willing her to turn around.

"Oh, you mean my grandson? He sends girls over here all the time hoping to peep on them in the changing room. I doubt I have any answers."

"It's about a fairy tale you told him as a kid. A Wish Box," Nami said speaking up quickly. The old hag seemed to be dismissing them and she couldn't have that yet. She had a few more questions burning in her mind besides the stupid box.

The old lady cackled and bent behind the counter rummaging for something. She mumbled a few things incoherently and Nami wondered if they should venture forward. The shop had a musky scent to it, like none of the clothes had been tried on in a long time, and when she glanced around a few of the display racks even had collected dust on them. There was another smell in the air that made her want to hold her hand to her nose but she wasn't sure if it would be rude or not, at least it wasn't overpowering.

"Ah-ha!" squealed the old lady. She popped up from behind the counter and leaned against it such a way that a younger woman would have pulled off of as provocative but on her small size and wrinkly figure it looked odd and unnatural. Nami's eyes shot to her face trying to ignore her grotesque body and odd pose. Her eyes now sported glasses, and for some insane reason the resemblance to Nami's mother's eyes disappeared. She couldn't stop searching though. Nami kept her gaze sternly on them, searching for a sign of familiarity.

The old lady though hardly paid her any mind as her attention was now drawn to Zoro.

"Oh my… aren't you a handsome fella," she purred. "I wouldn't mind if you were groping me out in public like that," she added. Zoro gagged.

"I wasn't groping her," he defended.

"You were holding her awfully close," noted the old lady.

"That's what you do before you kiss someone," he snapped bluntly his facial features didn't even change and Nami felt her cheeks tint a color. "Blind old bat," he added.

The old ladies nostrils flared.

"I'm not old or blind," she snipped. Zoro rolled his eye. "Groping in public should be banned!" she shrieked.

"You just said you wanted me to! And I wasn't groping her," he snapped the last part as an afterthought.

"Yes but on me," winked the old lady ignoring his protest. Zoro gagged again.

"Do you know anything about the freaking box or not?" he barked. Unlike Nami, Zoro didn't seem to care if the old lady thought he was being rude by covering his nose, and he was making it a point to keep his gaze off of the old lady.

"I know about the story yes. Did you kiddies come here for a story? I don't do any of that weird erotica stuff… I have a few books for sale if you're interested," she purred. She jumped up on the counter and let her legs fall smoothly next to her. Again the pose would have been provocative on a younger woman but it was lost on her.

"Listen here, hag. We aren't going to buy anything," Zoro snapped.

That was obviously the wrong thing to say. The old lady's eyes narrowed dangerously and she crossed her ankles crisply as she studied her nails.

"If you aren't paying costumers why the hell should I tell you anything?" she snapped.

"Because-"

"If I buy an outfit will you just tell us what you know?" Nami sighed interrupting Zoro. He shot a glare at her and clenched his jaw showing his obvious distaste but she shrugged it off. She wasn't about to let a chance to get some answers slip away from her. The old lady grinned mischievously and both navigator and swordsman felt a shiver run down their spine.

()()()()()()()()

"Come out and let us see it dear," called the old woman in a frail voice.

Zoro snorted, mostly to himself, in her wild change of character. Several minutes ago she had been toe to toe with Nami about which piece she should try on and started haggling about the price, and now she made her voice sound like an endearing Grandmother. She was the stereotypical version of a pervert grandmother, if there was ever such a thing. She was a sneaky, conniving, disgusting old lady who showed too much of her body in public. Personally, Zoro was convinced that she was Nami from the future that somehow warped into the past and was stuck here.

"Like _**hell**_ I'm coming out in this," Nami snapped.

It wasn't a changing room. It was just the corner of the room covered with a pole with a moth eaten cloth hanging form it. It had just enough room for one person to squeeze behind it and he could easily see Nami's knees and lower from where he was standing and several holes reveled random spot of Nami's body. There was a bench of some type that gave the person in there enough space to place their clothes down to try on a few other of these monstrosities if they wanted, but the space was very crowded.

Some of these outfits he couldn't imagine a person in. They were all too odd. Several he didn't even understand what the hell was sexy about them and just wondered if they were Halloween costumes. A full green suit with a tail on it? How the hell was that sexy? He wasn't sure what piece Nami had grabbed but judging by the majority of the outfits he was sure she looked ridiculous. He didn't bother trying to hide the goofy grin that found its place on his lips as he pictured her in the one that looked like a full horse costume that was hung on the wall. In one abandoned corner there looked like there was a raccoon costume.

"If that one doesn't work I found one that I'm sure Chopper would appreciate," he teased not raising his voice because he knew she could hear him just fine.

"Fuck off," she hissed from behind the curtain.

"Now now," cackled the old lady. "Save that for the bedroom."

"Pervert," he muttered under his breath while Nami swore loudly again.

"Screw this. I'll just buy a book," she hissed as a loud snapping noise came from behind the curtain. One of the rings that had held the curtain in place had been so rusted it completely crumbled as Nami brushed against the fabric. She had obviously been turning around to fetch her clothes and she was posed in mortification as the screen of privacy disappeared to the floor.

"Ohhhh. I told you that one would look nice," the old lady chirped gleefully clapping her hands together.

Nami straightened and instead of hiding mortified, she turned around to model the clothing. Her eyes shot up to meet his and she lifted her arms up to pull back her hair in a typical 'Nami' way. He'd never admit it but her wanted poster was one of the sexist things he had ever seen and her mimicking it in that getup was almost too much.

Zoro felt his tongue dry uncomfortably. _Forget this_, he thought turning around to stare at the wall blankly. He had seen her clad in just a swimsuit for the majority of the time he had known her. Hell he had even seen her naked a few times, and what clothes she did wear left little to the imagination. So why was it that he was now responding to her? He didn't have time for this, he needed to fix what was wrong and fast or this would become a big problem and mess up his training more than it already was. A stupid black bra and black lacy thong should not be evoking a reaction out of him. Logically speaking, if he could will himself to look at her subjectively then it would take away the feeling. This was all very unlike him, letting emotions take over his normally cool demeanor. _She should be dressed by now_, he thought letting out a small breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. Impatiently he glanced over his shoulder.

He really wished he hadn't because he was bombarded with thoughts he had expressively forbidden himself.

Taking a second to turn away from her and try and collect himself in a short span of time had not helped in the slightest. _It's the lace_, he told himself. Black and lace normally represented sex and that was something he largely had ignored in place of his dream. He wasn't bluffing earlier when he told Nami he wasn't sexually frustrated, he wasn't because he took care of his bodies demands, it was just more of a solo act. That fucking lace though… it reminded him of just what was so appealing about the other sex and why he should want it. It promised what he could have and in such a setting it was hard to push the thought away that she could be wearing that later just for him.

She was facing forward now staring straight at him, all sense of teasing gone, and he knew from the rise of color in her cheeks that she wasn't really embarrassed that he was staring so unabashedly at her but more of the Nami that was taken over by lust. She wanted him to look, and she wanted him trapped. _It's the wish_, he told himself, _play along_.

"Suits you," he managed to growl out.

"Of course it does," she said waving him off. Her eyes were flashing with a look that promised retribution, a look she normally had when she was scheming.

"Well hurry up and change then. I'll ring it up for you~," singed the old hag.

"Fix the curtain first!" Nami scolded but the old hag had already disappeared into the back room muttering under her breath.

"Fucking witches…" Zoro growled.

"Whatever just hold this up so I can change," Nami growled. She had managed to cross the room and pulled him closer to the 'changing area'. She threw the fabric into his hands and turned around impatiently. He got a good look at what her underwear didn't cover and felt his body twitch in response. He groaned under his breath as he held the curtain up and glared at the wall.

"Alright we don't have much time," the old lady called as she reappeared next to him.

"What the hell do you mean we don't have much time?" he hissed. "She tried on your stupid outfit and she's going to buy it… you better tell us what you know," he growled. He lowered one arm to rest on his sword in a threating manner.

"What are you going to do if I don't? Cut me?" the old hag challenged.

"If I have to," he hissed using his thumb to push his sword out of its sheath.

"Zoro," Nami growled in warning as she pushed away the rest of the curtain completely clothed. Her stern gaze was enough to make him tsk, put his sword back, and glare at the wall again. He felt like a fucking dog being reprimanded for growling at a neighbor for coming over uninvited.

"But he is right. We do need answers. I won't buy this until I have something to go on," she added her voice taking on that annoying tone she used when she was bargaining for something.

The old lady sighed before studying them through her spectacles for a short period of time.

"So you have a Wish Box? What are you going to do sell it or something? Trying to figure out its worth?"

Neither of them asked how the hell she knew they had a Wish Box. It was obvious with how desperate they were for answers.

"We've already used it. We're just trying to figure it out…" Nami said quietly.

"You used it together?" asked the old lady surprised. Nami snorted.

"No… I used it… it just involves him."

"I see…" the witch hummed as she eyed them with a little more caution than she had earlier.

"I guess I'll tell you that story that was told to me when I was a kid. It really is just a fairy tale. Used to scare kids away from pirates…" she paused trying to gauge their reactions. Whatever she saw she liked.

"_A long time ago there was a vain girl who selfishly took anything she wanted. She would lie, cheat, steal, any back handed way to get what she wanted she used it. There was no stop to her ambition."_

"Sounds familiar already," grumbled Zoro. Nami stomped hard on his foot and the old lady cleared her throat and shot them a pointed look.

"_Unsurprisingly this girl was a pirate and she roamed the seas causing chaos and finical ruin for others no matter where she went. Well fate had her in its sight and it was coming for revenge. Her path had her stopped in one town in particular with a very wealthy mayor. He didn't live in a big house but he was easily recognizable to the trained eye. The girl heard rumors in town about how happy the man was and her eyes lit up with greed as an idea struck her. _

'_He must have buried his wealth' she told her crew and she sent them on a wild goose chase for his wealth. The mayor noticed and shook his head sadly at their antics. They went even as far as to ask him where he hid his treasure. Finally after weeks of searching the girl grew furious and held a knife up to his throat. _

"'_Tell me where it is' she snarled at him. The mayor just smiled and shook his head. _

'_It's my treasure' he told her. Frustrated the girl threw the knife down hard and it landed on the man's toe. The mayor didn't even scream in pain but looked at the girl with pity as he pulled the knife out of his flesh wiped it on his sleeve to clean it and handed it back to her. 'If you are really unhappy I can give it to you' he told her. _

"_She didn't even hesitate for a second and forced him to lead her to its resting place. She scoffed when he lead her back to his house and calmly walked to the book shelf and held out a tiny box to her. She opened it expecting to see some valuable relic only disappointed that it was empty. _

'_What is this garbage?' she had demanded. _

'_A Wish Box' he told her calmly. 'It grants wishes so that a person can be happy'_

"_The girl's eyes had lit up in greed at the mention of wishes. _

'_How do I use it?' she asked._

"_The man explained to her that all she had to do was speak her heart's desire into the box and the next morning it would be there when she awoke. He told her not to wish for impossible things because the box couldn't make anything. He told her that it would take her life if she tried. She had ignored him and that night before she went to bed she wished for all of the mayor's gold to appear at the foot of her bed the next morning. The next day they found her dead_._ For the mayor had no gold and had been rich in happiness."_

Silence filled the air and hung heavily in the musty shop. Finally Nami let out a slow breath clearly disappointed.

"That was the same as the version Robin had," she muttered mostly to herself.

He heard the entrance to the shop open and close and heard a familiar chuckle. _Speak of the devil and she shall appear_, he thought drily to himself.

"Hunting for some clothes, Nami?" asked the archeologist with a teasing smile, obviously thinking that Nami was shopping and not taking the matter at hand seriously.

"No. And no answers here if this is where any leads took you," Nami said sadly.

The old hag's eyes seemed to triple in size as she eyed Robin with appreciation.

"I have a piece that would work splendidly for you as well," she told her lurching forward and dragging Robin to a rack that had recently stationed Nami. Robin's surprised gaze shot over to them. Zoro shook his head in annoyance and disproval while Nami giggled and hid her smile behind her hand.

He really just wanted to get the fuck out of this hell hole shop and escape it's perverted owner.

"Can't we check out already?" he barked getting the hag's attention.

"Sure sure. Just let me get a bag," she called as she started heading towards the back.

He felt it then. The undeniable sense of danger seemed to taint the air as a familiar scent wafted his nose. He wasn't imagining it; there was poison in this shop. He didn't care about causing a seen but there would be hell to pay if he just started cutting up the shop. He saw Robin's brow furrow out of the corner of his eye and knew he wasn't the only one that had noticed the faint scent. He covered his nose again in a dramatic way and sighed loudly. He wasn't as smooth as Nami getting out of a situation like this but he had to act now.

"We don't need a bag," he growled. He grabbed Nami's wrist and pulled the cloth from her fingers and pocketed it.

"Zoro-!" she protested but stopped midsentence.

"Eager to see Nami in it again?" the archeologist teased.

"Something like that," he mumbled. Nami's eyes shot between the two of them before they seemed too lit up in understanding.

"It'll only take a second. It's much more fun to unwrap a present from-" started the old hag.

"I get to unwrap it off her. I don't need a box too," he scoffed. Nami flushed in anger.

"I told you. We aren't doing that!"

"You sure seemed to want me to get a good look earlier," he teased. His hand pressed the fabric deepen into his pocket and he side stepped as Nami launched at him.

"Shut up," she hissed.

Robin chuckled obviously amused.

"So how do we pay Miss Pervert?" she asked the old lady leaning against the counter in the way the old hag had tried to earlier. Honestly in his opinion Nami would probably look best in the position but he wouldn't get caught dead saying that ever. He was too busy trying to avoid Nami's furious punches to hear much after that but he managed to escape the shop unharmed.

All three of them let out a collect sigh of relief as they rounded a corner. The Sunny was in view in the harbor and the sky was clear.

"Think she was trying to catch us for the marines?" Nami asked. She was scanning the horizon in an obvious way that was scanning for marines or some other threat.

"No," he growled. "It felt different."

* * *

**A/N: **... I don't much to say this time. Actually I do. I don't like mixing Japnese words with English stories. I know words like 'Nakama' have a stronger meaning but I can't bring myself to do it. In case you guys haven't noticed. The one I make an exception for is Robin and using people's titles on occasion but I decided to stop doing that. That's why she clalled the old lady 'Miss Pervert'.


	11. Enlisting Luffy

**A/N: ***IMPORTANT!*** **Umm okay well now that I have your attention, this chapter I sort of reference when the gang first met up with Vivi when she asks for help. You guys all remember her right? Just keep in mind that Luffy and Zoro started to get into a fist fight hahahaha. The one and only time they fought. Zoro seems to think differently this chapter. Just a little warning before you guys ask me what the hell I am talking about.

_Now without further ado I give you…_

**The Wish Box**

Chapter 10: Enlisting Luffy

"You didn't even get her to try on the fabric you poisoned?" Sebastian hissed. It really wasn't his day. He had just learned that the Straw Hats were in town and had hurriedly rushed to check his traps that he had set up. In several larger and more dangerous areas in the new world he had traps set up just in case the navigator managed to come out of her wishes unharmed.

"No," snapped his affiliate. She was studying her fingers with feigned interest. Her body sagged disgustingly in her corset.

"Why not?" he seethed.

"She wasn't interested in it. The piece she did pick out I tried to wrap it in a bag filled with poison but that stupid body guard of hers grabbed it and pocketed it… he was starting to catch on to me. I almost had them caved too but as soon as the swordsman acted up the navigator seemed to catch on to me as well and they had this weird verbal word play that skirted out of getting a bag and left. I didn't have enough time to bring up more from the back room seeing as Nico Robin came in and was watching me closely after that too," she growled her eyes flashing up to her employer.

"I get the vibe that you didn't want to do your job and kill her," he said with obvious contempt.

"Why would I want to kill someone? I agreed to poison her enough to paralyze her until you got here. You failed to mention that she was an infamous pirate and that she would have friends with her," she hissed. Her words seemed to send Sebastian on a rage as he paced the back room and flipped a few empty boxes in anger. His legs shot out and kicked one roughly and dented it.

"I have been single handedly keeping your store open for months," he said storming out of the back room and to the main shop area. He heard her soft footfalls as she came after him. "For months," he continued hissing shoving a rack roughly out of his way in anger. "All for the off chance that incase this type of thing happened she would still be dead. She isn't dead yet… and they are going to leave soon."

He sighed looking around at the musty old store and felt a swell of anger sit in the pit of his stomach. Diana, the old lady didn't even glance up to meet his gaze. Her eyes were traveling around her store in a heartbroken gaze that he was all too familiar with.

"I'm not the one taking away your store," he told her solemnly.

"But seeing as you are…" she hissed.

"No it isn't me. It's Nami," he assured her. "It's all because she is alive."

"You are completely demented," Diana cackled.

"No Nami is," he growled. His eyes flashed dangerously as his face twisted in rage.

"What did that girl do? She seemed pleasant enough. I can't see your blind hate," Diana snapped her arms crossed over her chest raising the sagging skin there and giving her the impression of a woman scorning her child.

"She did everything. She took everything," he said it in a voice so quiet she almost missed it. "It's all her fault that this didn't work."

"This is more of my fault than hers. I put off fate for my store for a few more months. You should pick better henchman next time," she said her voice holding back tears but oddly accepting.

"I figured a lonely old widow who was trying so hard to keep the shame of the town open for her lost husbands sake would be enough," he said roughly and entirely unkindly.

"Pick a younger person with more and less to lose. Or a person filled with rage that would comply with your wishes," she added with venom. "Flip the closed sign behind you when you leave would you?" she asked as she strode to the front door with all of the confidence of a younger woman.

He sighed as she stormed out and rubbed his temples in frustration. He hummed to himself and closed his eyes trying to think. It had been hard following the Straw Hats. He was more than half a day behind them in travels but luck was on his side and he had picked the same course they had. If he could just keep going… surely they would blunder into one of his traps again. He was positive they would. He felt his face split into a grin. Just like the pirate in the story Nami wouldn't escape her fate for long. He would have to set up a few more ambiguous traps. Obviously trying to kill her off with her own selfish ways and poison weren't going to work as easily as he hoped. That was fine. He still had several more plans he could execute and apparently he gained a few very powerful allies, fate and luck.

()()()()()()()()()()

Nami took a deep breath as she watched the setting sun over the railing of the Thousand Sunny. The water sparkled like a thousand jewels and the sun itself looked like a brilliant ruby disappearing slowly into the ocean. Funny how she related everything to jewels she noted drily. Hell if she had been like that one pirate girl she would be dead now just like her. But she wasn't and she had to figure out what the hell was wrong and how she could fix it. It was becoming clear fast that keeping it a secret was not the way to go about things.

She had found out from a girl in town that their course wouldn't be set for a couple more days and she waited restlessly for the three needles to settle or for at least one to show a steady course that would guide them to the next rambunctious island that Luffy would want to go to. That meant she had a few days to figure out how to tell Luffy.

His reaction was the one she was worried about the most. It wasn't the fact that she was worried that he would kick her off the crew, no he loved her too much for that and needed her too much for that. Luffy was just too unpredictable when it came to certain things and trying to figure out how he would react to a certain situation and it was enough to give her a splitting head ache. She wanted to be prepared and she didn't want to disappoint him. Luffy who was so much more than her captain and her closest friend, it hurt to have him mad or disappointed in her. She was sure it would feel like taking a shot to the gut. Hell it already did feel like taking a shot to the gut. It didn't feel right and she would do anything for him. She would lay down her life for her captain and he was the only person in the world she could say that for, because he was strong enough where he wouldn't let her do something so selfish for him. Sure she cared about the others deeply but Luffy was the one that guided them all and held them together. In most cases the only thing she had in common with a few of her crewmates was the affection they all shared for their captain.

Her stomach flipped nervously.

"Why?"

She jumped slightly and turned to see Sanji leaning over the rail next to her. His visible eye trained out to the distance watching the waves lap calmly and his jaw clenched sternly. He held a tray out to her that held a delicious looking tropical drink and she accepted it and took a long sip before sighing and turning back to the ocean. The stern look didn't fit the cook in her opinion, at least not when it was directed to her.

She could play stupid and ask what he was talking about but her mood didn't leave her in any sort of temperament to beat around the bush.

"It's a long story," she said shortly letting her arms droop over the railing. Her chin rubbed against the smooth wood and she found a small smile gracing her lips for some reason.

"But why _him_?"

The lack of insults perked her interest and she gave the cook a sideways glance. She had never really put much thought into the resident skirt chaser's antics with her. She had brushed them easily aside because of just that he was a skirt chaser and the lines he fed he would do so to any girl that batted an eye lash in his direction (or not). It wasn't that she disrespected him; she did respect him and his ways. He was truly a gentleman but honestly… he just wasn't her type. He was too innocent, not in a perverted sense, but in life in general. His outlook was a lot more optimistic and happy. It just wasn't compatible with her. She was happy sure, but life had her learn to be much more cautious with things like her heart. She was too guarded for a man like Sanji. They had no common interests either, besides sailing under the same captain. He fawned too easily and agreed with everything she said or complimented her. She liked the heated debates she got into with Zoro, it was interesting and… she quickly squashed her thoughts away. _You don't need to get in any deeper, you need to talk to him and clear up some lines, and you need to make it clear that you are trying to fix this mess so things can go back to normal_, she scolded herself.

She shrugged and took another sip of the delicious drink searching for the right words to pacify her friend.

"He was just what I needed at the time I guess."

This was a lot harder than she thought having to explain to Sanji just why she had picked Zoro out of all the males on this crew (mostly because it had been a subconscious decision). Sanji had never even been on her list of possible romance. Hell, none of them had. She was just starting to grasp how utterly stupid and selfish her wish had been. Had she worded it any differently she might have even destroyed a few dreams, hers included. No, Zoro hadn't been what she needed. Zoro was the only one that could handle that burden of responsibility and deal with this type of situation. Zoro was what the wish needed.

She felt rather than saw Sanji take a long drag from his smoke holding it in for a long moment and then blowing it out with exaggerated slowness.

"I'll treat you better than he will," he stated calmly. She looked up at him, more than curious. Was he offering her what she thought he was? He was trying to take her from Zoro. Well he couldn't exactly take her from somebody. She didn't belong to anyone (except maybe Luffy but that was a different matter entirely). She couldn't say Zoro was an excuse because the swordsman was obviously displeased with all of this. She just didn't want to hear all his bitching and moaning about what would happen if Sanji took his place. Undoubtedly the ensuing insults would cause mayhem for the next several weeks. She shook her head.

Unsurprised Sanji's lip flipped up in a quick smirk.

"I always knew it. Ever since that first day…"

"What do you-"

"SANJI MEAT!" screeched their captain.

Nami straightened. Hearing her captain's voice sent a wave of uneasiness through her, and she felt guilt. Her stomach tightened and she could feel her skin start to shake and produce a cold sweat. Her thoughts clouded and her tongue began to dry. This wasn't right, why was she so nervous? She tried to swallow and call out to Sanji but the words wouldn't come. Her vision started to blur as she took a step forward. The drink she had been holding fell to the ground with a loud thump. She tried to call out but the noise came strangled in her throat.

"Nami?" Sanji asked obviously worried his hand wrapped around her arm trying to steady her. His touch burned and didn't feel right at all. She tried to shake him off but his grip tightened. _That hurts_, she wanted to say but still no words escaped.

Her hand shot out, not to him but in the direction of what she hoped salvation would be in.

"Zor-" she started to call as her legs gave out and her world went dark.

()()()()()()()()()

Chopper's stern gaze had everyone backing up but the cramped doctor's office wasn't enough to discourage anyone from leaving. It was funny how Nami did that. One second she was fine and the next she was just fainting and everyone was too worried to do anything else. She should know better than to try and hide when she wasn't feeling well, that was why Chopper was here, to take care of anyone if they fell ill. Sanji was twitching as Chopper refused to let him smoke in the enclosed space, Luffy was sitting next to Nami's bed a worried look as he frowned at his friend, Robin was reading in the corner but her eyes shot up occasionally to glance at the still figure on the bed, Franky was worried about the little girl and trying to think of things to say to her to make her feel better, Brook was quietly playing a relaxing song, Usopp was mimicking Luffy and sitting close by with a worried look, and as for him? He was perched in a small uncomfortable seat close to her feet and trying to feign indifference.

"Tell me again Sanji," Chopper said bending over a sheet over paper with a frown.

"We were just talking…" he said slowly. "Luffy called for meat and she got this weird look in her eye, her face got really pale and it looked like she was trying to say something. She reached out towards the gym for whatever reason and started to call for the third rate swordsman-"

Zoro growled but it went unnoticed. He wasn't in the mood to bicker with Sanji when Nami was in bed looking so frail. It scared him to see her like this. It scared him to even have to think about what would happen to this crew if suddenly she wasn't there. It wasn't just that they would be lost at sea, no the crew would be lost. It would happen if they lost anyone. It was too scary to imagine life without any of them, and that was why he trained so hard. He couldn't handle letting this many people in and then lose them to a careless mistake or something out of his power. He would never again lose, and he couldn't afford to lose any of them. Not after Kuina. To be honest… he wasn't strong enough for that.

Chopper sighed and Robin closed her book with an audible snap.

"Zoro," Chopper said calmly eyeing him with a sudden nervousness. "Nami's health is rapidly decreasing. Her breathing is becoming erratic. I'm not sure if it is because of the box but I think you should try some physical contact."

He didn't hesitant and reached out to grab her foot.

Nami's face instantly started to regain some color and her breathing slowed slightly. Chopper scribbled some notes down.

"Why does Zoro have to touch her because of some box?" Luffy asked. His eyes were locked on Zoro's hand and Nami's foot. Zoro and Chopper didn't answer but exchanged a hard look. Chopper wouldn't say anything because Nami made him promise, Zoro wouldn't because … hell he just wouldn't.

"Nami is cursed," Robin said calmly.

"Cursed?" half the crew inquired. Robin's face didn't break out into an amused smirk like it normally would have, her eyes were trained on the navigators unmoving face before she sighed. She looked up at Luffy.

"There's this mystery box that grants wishes. Nami made a wish on it but if the wish can't be granted it will take her life. The box has some mercy and does everything it can to make the wish come true before it kills the wishee. Whatever Nami wished for, we're lucky it was more complicated and yet simple. The box doesn't know how to react."

"So this mystery box is trying to kill Nami?" Luffy hissed dangerously. His eyes shot down to Nami. His frown deepening. "Where is it?" he asked.

"In her pocket," Robin responded.

Luffy lifted the blanket from her body but she immediately shivered and coughed violently.

"Oy Luffy don't do that!" Chopper shoved the captain aside and rearranged the blanket. "She's still sick and trying to recover. Zoro come up here and grab her hand."

He didn't even feel himself move but suddenly he was looking directly at the navigator holding her hand. It hung limp in his grasp and he could feel the blood pulsing there. He kind of approved of the way Robin explained it, simple enough for Luffy to pay attention yet complex enough for the rest of the crew to not hammer her with more stupid questions.

"So why does Zoro fix it?" Usopp asked. And he stood corrected; there was plenty of room for stupid questions. He closed his eye and leaned his head against the wall, careful to keep Nami's hand firmly in his.

The silence wasn't broken because he wasn't going to answer. Robin seemed to think that she had crossed enough lines with telling the crew about the box. He felt Sanji kick his chair it didn't have a lot of force to it but it caused him to sit up and glare at the cook. The heated exchanged glances said something. Sanji knew exactly why but there was some odd type of approval there.

"I believe only Nami can answer that one," Robin said breaking the silence.

Luffy's face stayed in a hard frown as he glared at their joined hands. He shifted uncomfortably and Zoro couldn't help but feel the pit of dread that built in his stomach. Luffy had a terrible temper at times, he might be a goofy happy go lucky kid, but where his friends were concerned nothing was taken lightly. And Nami was their captain's responsibility. He had made that clear several times, he might send someone off to actually catch her while she fell but he would kick the villain's ass just for her. He always listened to her, without question. He would do anything for her. He would do anything for any of them and that was what made Luffy himself, but everyone was a little extra protective of the resident navigator. Luffy might be the sail, but Nami was the wind.

"Zoro…" he said darkly. His face was hidden behind the brim of his hat but it was obvious that he was pissed. Despite himself he found that his grip on Nami tightened.

"Luffy," he responded evenly.

Luffy looked up and the two locked gazes. It seemed like a thousand words passed between them before Luffy sighed.

"Everyone out," he said sternly.

"But Luffy-"

His glare was enough to silence both Chopper and Sanji.

"Out," he said again. His words heavy with his order. Luffy didn't just throw around Captain's orders and he rarely said it. Luffy didn't need to say it this time. It was clear that he was using his authority. The crew filed out slowly glancing between the girl on the bed, the first mate, and their captain. Robin was the last to leave, and she kept her gaze locked on Nami as she closed the door behind her slowly.

As soon as the door snapped shut Luffy relaxed and took the other seat across from Nami.

"She's my responsibility. I promised I wouldn't let anything happen to her for her to lose her smile," he began. Zoro nodded.

"I didn't have a choice… She threw herself at me… and then I found out that I was keeping her alive. I won't let her die."

"Which is what friends do. We look out for each other," Luffy agreed. He timidly reached out and grabbed Nami's free hand.

"I can't fail. I won't-"

"I know…" Luffy sighed interrupting him. "Why didn't she come to me? After all this time she still doesn't trust me?"

"No. Luffy you are her closest friend. I think it's just embarrassing for her. You aren't really the type to know about what she was craving for. She had a moment of weakness," he tried to explain but the confused look on his captain's face told him he wasn't doing a good enough job.

"She was the only girl on the crew for the longest time… I think she just wanted something that her old life would have never given her…" he struggled to try and understand where Nami was coming from. He had to support Luffy through this and he also had to show his captain he could handle the responsibility. It wasn't that Luffy didn't trust him; it was that Luffy could be incredibly selfish when it came to the navigator. Luffy didn't take his promises lightly.

"I thought I was giving her everything," Luffy said quietly. It was plain to see that he was growing more and more frustrated. He shifted in his seat and pulled Nami's hand closer to him while he frowned at her.

"She needs something you can't give her," Zoro said cautiously. He was sealing his fate with this but he didn't care. He wouldn't let his captain down or his navigator.

"And you can?" Luffy challenged. "What about your dream? Huh? What about becoming the strongest greatest swor-"

"Nothing will stop me from reaching my dream!" Zoro hissed.

He glared across to his captain and wasn't surprised to see his own anger reflected back at him. This wasn't his fault. Nami was one the one who had been selfish, who had brought this up. _But what have you done to stop her or help her?_ his thoughts challenged.

He felt a small pressure on his hand and looked down at Nami. Her brow was furrowed and a small sweat had broken out over her skin. He sighed. Why was it she always intervened when he got into a fight with Luffy? Albeit, that one time she had actually stopped a fight she had been a bit too late and blows were exchanged but she was the one that had defused their captain and gotten him to listen. Nami always got Luffy to listen.

"Nothing will hold me back. Nothing," he said firmly. "I will become the greatest swordsman in the world no matter what."

"And Nami's dream?" he said. He was still seething and it was clear that Luffy really wanted to punch him but was holding back. Nami must've squeezed his hand too.

"She won't let this stop her. If anything it's better that it is me. We both can stay with you and continue towards our dreams."

That visibly relaxed Luffy and he looked back at Nami thoughtfully.

"You'll do whatever it takes to make her smile, Zoro?" he asked quietly.

He didn't have to say anything. He just nodded his head and looked back at Nami.

"I'm not taking your place," he told Luffy after another moment of silence passed between them.

"I know," Luffy smiled then and stood up, dropping Nami's hand. He took off his hat and placed it in her now freed hand.

"Feel better Nami," he told her. Zoro had a feeling he wasn't really meant to hear it. Luffy then strode to the door and opened it. Sanji fell in while Robin, Chopper and Brook, stared up at him sheepishly. They crowded into the room and Chopper immediately started checking Nami's vitals again.

"We don't have to worry. Zoro won't let anything happen to her," he said cheerfully.

His gaze locked on the swordsman. Zoro stiffened but nodded his head accepting the responsibility officially and from his captain was a lot different than just because Nami asked him too or because he knew it was best this way. He could never let his captain down, Luffy was too important for that. But he had never even thought of backing out or trying to find some way out of helping his friend. He wasn't like that. Just now it felt like there was a time limit. It wasn't some secret held in the dark and now the crew knew that her actions hadn't been her own. That there wasn't really something going on between them and they weren't really choosing this.

"Cheer her up Zoro," he told him sternly before turning to Sanji wide grin never leaving. "Can I have some meat now?"

"How can you ask that, you shitty captain? One of our angel's has fallen-"

"Don't worry I'm watching over her," he told the cook with a satisfied smug tone. He couldn't help but rub this in his face. For once he was taking care of one of the girl's and Sanji could do nothing about it. It must be killing that love cook to see him holding her hand and making her feel better with his physical contact. Sanji glared at him.

"If you ever make her feel ill again-" he started to threatened but Zoro cut him off.

"How do you know it was me?"

"She was trying to call out to you shit for brains. Chopper explained to me that he suspected she needs physical contact at that moment. And-"

"Stop arguing," Chopper said placing himself in between the cook and the swordsman. "It's stressful for my patient."

That shut Sanji up immediately. Luffy's stomach rumbled impatiently from the corner where he was now residing with Brook. The two were talking in hushed tones about what they could steal out of the fridge. Sanji's nostril flared and he pointed to Zoro with his index finger. A glare that was obviously meant to make him feel threatened was directed at him as Sanji harshly sputtered.

"You make sure she gets better."

Then the cook promptly stomped out of the room, the door closing behind him quietly instead of slamming like he normally did when he was pissed.

Luffy, surprisingly didn't follow Sanji but took the other side of his friend's bedside and resumed staring thoughtfully at her. Brook started to play soothing music in his corner obviously lost deep in thought. Chopper continued to poke around Nami. He watched wearily as he drew some blood and started testing it. Robin stood by the edge of the bed for a long moment looking at her fallen friend.

"It's odd," Robin said quietly.

Chopper nodded his brow furrowing in frustration.

"I have a feeling it has to do with the Box…" he sighed. He looked back to the blood work and his jaw dropped slightly.

"Was she exposed to poison?" he half shrieked looking frantic.

"Fuck," Zoro hissed. "I knew it. I didn't get her out of there fast enough," he started to stand up but Nami moaned as soon as their hands lost contact. Pissed, he let himself fall back into the chair and grabbed her hand again, her face instantly slackened in relief at the contact.

"We went into a shop today," Robin started quietly looking at the little doctor. "It had an odd smell. I didn't place it fast enough either but I figured we all were unharmed as we didn't touch anything that could have had it. It's a paralyzing root but heavy doses can be lethal," she told him. It was obvious that Robin's quick thoughts were on par with Chopper's as he started to dig through his shelves to find a book.

"Nami's immune system is trying to fight the Wish Box because of the alien affects it has on her body. She is more susceptible to things even in small doses or floating harmlessly in the air," Chopper scolded mostly to himself as he looked over at Nami with a worried look. "I can have an antidote made in an hour but until then I want you by her side Zoro," he said sternly. Zoro just nodded and stared at the wall blankly.

"Ah!" Brook jumped up from the corner and leaned down next to Nami's bed. His quiet presences had gone unnoticed as the music had stopped a while ago. If a skeleton could frown in thought now would be the time. "I just remembered," he started.

"Remembered what?" Chopper asked. The little reindeer didn't even look up from the roots he was furiously crushing.

"There was a man that came on board one night," his gaze shifted to Zoro. "He claimed he was a suitor for Nami and wanted to leave her a present. He showed me a box…"

"Idiot," Zoro hissed reaching across the bed to hit his friend upside the head. Arms sprouted on either side of his chest and held him in place to this chair. He could have easily moved them but the comforting squeeze from Robin was enough to tell him she would take care of it, or at least that it was alright. Nothing could be done with this knowledge now.

"What did he look like?" Robin inquired in a polite tone. Her arms disappeared from around him as he settled to glare at Brook.

"He was a rather boring fellow," Brook hummed stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Just sort of average. There wasn't anything unusual about him," he continued.

"So a mystery man gave Nami a mystery box?" Luffy asked. Brook nodded his head thoughtfully.

"How does that help us?" Zoro hissed. Nami squirmed at the sound of his voice and he snapped his jaw shut with an audible thud.

"Easy," Chopper started.

"We find him and kick his ass," Luffy finished for the doctor, both exchanging a small nod.

"I thought I saw a man like him dock next to the Sunny for a while. Maybe we can question him?" Brook suggested.

"That's jumping to a conclusion. If you said he was boring how the hell would we know if he was really the same guy or not?" Chopper growled.

"Sebastian," Zoro said quietly. "I'm sure he is a big enough idiot to respond to his own name if caught by surprise."

"We will find him and kick his ass," Luffy promised his mood darkening considerably. "No one messes with my friends."

Robin hummed thoughtfully as she glanced between the four.

"I think I have an idea," she said evenly a small smile coming to play over her lips.

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry about the super long delay in posting... I got distracted. :p


	12. Nami's Dream

**The Wish Box**

Chapter 11: Nami's Dream

The fireworks that lit up the night sky were a bit unnerving at first. They reflected off the three man squad team showing the stern glances of seriousness. Even the far off town no noises could be made out. It was like a ghost town. All the lights were off in the buildings, and even the streets were deserted. Fireworks normally meant something was being celebrated and the mood was normally light and cheerful. Tonight the rolling thunder of the colorful display meant only one thing. War.

It was war when you messed with one of the Straw Hat pirates and it was never taken lightly. Hell, even people that weren't Straw Hats but he considered friends it was an act of war to mess with them. Anyone he considered a friend, from dragons to princesses, he wouldn't let anyone hurt them while he was around.

So an unknown force of invisible nature scared him. Sure he never really got scared, not with his friends around, not when he had the power to fight, but how do you fight something that wasn't technically there? This mystery box or whatever it was had one source and that was this guy Sebastian. If they could kick his ass Nami would be safe right? She wouldn't be reduced to passing out randomly because of some wish she made in the middle of a conversation if they got rid of him right? It had to be fixed this way because this was the only way he knew how to fix it.

"Ready, Luffy?" Robin asked quietly from beside him. He was kind of surprised that for once she was going along with one of his ideas. She was decked head to toe in an all-black outfit admittedly she didn't have a ski mask and she wasn't wearing a cool belt or anything but in a small way he felt like that was going along with it. He grinned at her.

"Of course," he said in an equally quiet voice. He found himself laughing quietly in excitement.

"Spy mission operation," he muttered excitedly to himself.

He sort of wished Usopp had been around to hear Robin's plan but he would begrudged admit it was best to keep the operation small. Plus the more people around Nami the safer she would be while she recovered. Still Brook was more than willing to compensate for his blunder of letting the man on board to begin with. He had even gone as far as to paint his cheek bones with black paint. The only visible white on the skeleton were his teeth but he could pull down his ski mask that he was wearing if it was needed. The three man team nodded to each other as they started off the docks and silently crept their way through town. They were relying on Brook to find this guy and hopefully he was the right one.

Luffy cracked his knuckles in anticipation and chuckled under his breath. It would all work out in the end. Of that he was positive.

()()()()()()()()

"Mhhhhmmmmmmmm Zooorro," Nami moaned from her bed. The sheets were starting to twist and reveal her creamy skin as she tossed and her hand drew his hand that was tangled with hers up to her lips. Her tongue darted out to taste him and he cursed every possible deity for this torture and embarrassment.

Seriously? His ears tinted a shade as he stared blankly at the wall. Even Chopper was having a hard time and was trying to look anywhere but at the navigator. Any time he started to move his hand away from her grasp her face would pale and her breathing would shallow. Chopper would scold him and demand he touched her again. How the hell could he keep physical contact with her when she made it sound like they were making a porno? She wasn't even fucking conscious and they were both fully clothed, hell he wasn't even _**in bed**_ with her. He was just glad that the others had left before she had started this. He didn't want to explain to Luffy… sex. He couldn't tell if his asexual captain knew what it was or not but having to hear Nami moan his name would have undoubtedly confused him.

"I swear on all that is holy-"

"AH!" she gasped. Her hand tugged on his making him half fall onto the bed. He reeled and just barely escaped her clutches as she leaned forward and moaned some more. His jaw snapped shut with a loud snap as he swallowed his words.

"If it makes you feel better Zoro, the arousal she's feeling is helping the poison exit her system faster," Chopper said quietly from his corner. He had checked all her vitals and was just trying to finish her antidote when Nami started getting all sleep horny, or whatever the hell you called it. The little doctor had been extremely alarmed at first but got over it saying he had seen worse (which just made Zoro wonder what the hell he had seen in the past two years).

"It doesn't make me feel better," he growled.

"Mmmmmmmmmmm."

"She seems to like your voice," Chopper whispered quietly as if he was intruding on a moment. Zoro just tightly nodded, now making a mental note to not speak until the navigator was fully conscious again and even then he would be weary of using his voice.

Their joined hands started to travel lower on her body before he even realized what she was doing. He managed to place enough pressure to stop her wandering hand at her side and watched as her breathing became shallow again.

"Her breathing-"

"From something else Zoro," Chopper said in a squeak. If the reindeer could blush then he sure as hell could. Both studied the wall with pure fascination as Nami continued to pant out his name.

He didn't care if she was unconscious. He was going to fucking make her pay for this later. Although the awkward situation was… well awkward, but it was at least it was with Chopper and himself. He couldn't imagine what that stupid fucking Love cook would be doing right now. Probably touch himself as he died of a nose bleed.

"Zorrrooooo," Nami moaned.

"What?" he hissed. He was fed up with this. She needed to wake up or something. It was bad enough having to see her parade around in underwear earlier, have to shake off this desire to actually want to kiss her, talk to Luffy about this situation, but he now had to listen to her lay there and moan his name? No normal sane person could deal with this, and he for one liked to count himself as one of the few sane people on this ship.

"Please…" she whimpered.

He glanced up to look at Chopper. The little doctor didn't really need to know about this, or about sex in his opinion, but that might have been his brotherly complex talking. He sure as hell didn't want him to hear Nami beg him for imaginary sex while she slept. His cheeks flushed as Chopper gave him a curious glance as if wondering what he would do.

"Nami shut up," he spat gritting his teeth together.

To his complete and utter surprise she did. Her words instantly muffled but her body continued to twist and wreath around. She was starting to sweat profusely and it stuck to her hair as she soundlessly moaned, her hips would buck forward occasionally, and her breathing turned quieter. Tears leaked out of her closed eyes as she gasped one final time before limply laying on the bed.

He turned panicked to Chopper but the doctor had his backed turned and was readying a needle with his newly concocted medicine.

"Chopper!" he panicked and half picked Nami up from the bed to bring her closer to the doctor. Her skin was unnatural cold against his that he had to repress a shiver.

"She's fine," Chopper assured him. He picked up her arm and quickly used a swab to clean it before sticking her with the needle. "She ran the course of her dream. Her heart's still beating rapidly but her body is relaxing, with the poison in her system that could be dangerous but this antidote should fix her up."

As if the young doctor's words were magic Nami shifted in his arms and groaned soundlessly. He jumped and realized that he was half sitting on her bed and gently lowered her back down. He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head with his free hand.

For what it was worth he wasn't used to this type of situation. It was different to have a friend lying sick in a bed fighting something you couldn't see. It was a lot harder. If she had been actually physically injured the story might have been different. He wouldn't be sitting on the edge of his seat waiting for some type of positive response from her.

Chopper bent down over her and picked up her wrist. He held it for a moment longer than needed as he studied his friend. The small breath he let out seemed annoyed, and something he normally reserved for when Zoro was stubbornly refusing treatment or taking off his bandages. He glanced over at the young doctor.

"If she asks… we didn't hear anything," Chopper said sternly. He nodded in agreement. He didn't need Nami to freak out on him on top of everything else that had happened today. Emotionally he wasn't equipped to handle all of this and he just wanted to lean back against the chair and shut his eyes.

Only he couldn't. He was on edge because he wanted to go out and find the jack ass that had done this and given her this box. He wanted to tear that jerk limp from limp without the help of his swords. He wanted to, but he couldn't. Zoro was told that he had to stay here, by her side. He wasn't suited to be the dotting worrying type. He hated it. He hated sitting here and being so useless when something was being done. He just hoped that Luffy would come back soon and bring guy with him.

He shifted in his seat as he stared down at Nami. His thoughts were swirling in a direction that he wasn't fond of. He knew what this meant. The past two days had been the type of usual crazy rambunctious way of the crew but there was a slow laziness to it. It felt like something had to be figured out fast but they were missing a vital piece of information. He felt like he knew it too, but he couldn't place it no matter what. It had him on edge.

He felt a sharp tug on his wrist to see Nami looking at him with wide eyes.

"Is there a side effect to the medicine?" he asked Chopper his gaze trained on Nami horrified as she pulled on his wrist with a little more force.

"No?" the reindeer rushed over to her side as Nami frantically gestured to her throat and mouth, soundlessly.

"Nami…" he said cautiously, her frantic gaze shot up to meet his. "Speak."

"What the hell?" She sat up quickly but Chopper placed a hand on her shoulder and gently guided her back down. "Why the fuck can I only talk after you tell me to speak? And what was with that wording, do you think I'm a fucking dog or something?"

"Feel better?" he asked.

"No-"

"Fuck," he swore mostly to himself. He pulled his hand out of Nami's grip to stare at his hands blankly. Of course this just had to be added to the list of things that could go wrong today. Now he suddenly had that type of power over her? Maybe it was just a fluke.

"Calm down," he said quietly more of asking her to than actually telling her to.

"Calm down? Calm down?! You want me to calm down?!"

He sucked in a deep breath and gritted his teeth together.

"Please," he added.

()()()()()()()()

He watched wearily as three figures jumped to shore and made their way towards the center of town. He wasn't sure why fireworks were going off, some weird tradition it seemed, but no one was outside to enjoy them. It almost felt like the explosion of colors that tainted the night sky were wasted. He tensed as the eerie light showed that the figures were a lot closer to him than he expected and he ducked around a corner to edge his way back around.

A tall haunting figure with pearly white teeth could be seen amongst the group as they looked torn on what direction to take. The skeleton was nodding, and Straw Hat looked torn. The only reason he knew it was Straw Hat was because of well… it just couldn't be anyone else. Even with the missing hat. He couldn't make out the third figure. It was too dark to tell.

But surely that meant that two of his greatest threats weren't on the ship anymore. He wasn't stupid. He knew what he was getting himself into but he was just so hell bent on his revenge, he didn't care about what happened to him in the process. As long as he took her down with him. But he had heard enough stories about Straw Hat Luffy to know that this wouldn't be easy. He had heard the boy was simple, and he had hoped something that was enigmatic would throw the boy off. He couldn't beat something that required intelligence. Although he wasn't fighting _just_ Luffy. If they caught on to him he would have to best the whole crew. It would be a failure if it came to that. So he would have to play his cards right and sneak around to place perfectly planned traps.

It was a lot harder than he thought. He had to study the crew. He didn't know all of their weaknesses, and even with his crafty ways and slightly above average strength, he knew he was no match for them. It was best to get as many members of the crew out of the way, or simply just target her.

And he had decided to just target her. It required the least amount of effort and it took care of his worry about Straw Hat. Hell he hadn't realized Nami wouldn't wish for something selfish like he had expected. The old hag had said something about her making a wish and struggling with it, but that only played to his advantage. If she was handicapped, she would be easier to target.

A particularly loud firework boomed overhead and the sliver light it produced caused him to cringe into the shadows.

He stuck his head around the corner timidly making sure that three of the Straw Hats had disappeared. The street was deserted again and there was a clear path to the ship. Feeling smug his grip tightened on the object that was pressed deep into his pocket. That small object should be enough to take care of the other five long enough for him to get her.

Checking the street one last time he stepped out and made a dash towards the unguarded ship.

Only something sprouted up and caught his leg.

"That was too easy," pouted a familiar male voice before he felt something hard hit him in the stomach.

()()()()()()()()()()()

"It hasn't happened before," Nami's voice sounded broken as she laid there in bed. Absentmindedly she stroked her throat as she stared at her two friends with a sense of loss.

Zoro remained silent next to her, obviously as mortified as she was. None of them could think of an explanation besides the Wish, and none of them mentioned it out loud. It seemed like it was Taboo, or that the truth would make it all too real. She shivered.

"I haven't…" Zoro started, he was staring at his hands with a hard look. "I haven't exactly _ordered_ you around before," he finished. He looked rather resentful. He was hunched over next to her bed, his eyes trained on his tanned hands against the white sheets of the bed. His forehead was practically touching the bed as well and he refused to look up at her.

For the thousandth time since she uttered those stupid words into the box Nami was infinitely grateful that Zoro had been the one that was stuck with her in this state. He wouldn't abuse this power over her because of his weird sense of moral. And she silently praised him for not being like her in that sense. He looked so pissed at himself that she felt bad. It was in a sense her fault. She brought this upon him and herself.

His hunched shoulders were close enough for her to reach out and pat. But that didn't seem like it would fit the situation, and Chopper's wide staring eyes made her self-conscious about any type of physical action.

"I order you around all the time. Let's just call it even this once," she said swinging her legs over the side of the bed and stretching her body. She wanted to dismiss this and get things back to normal as soon as possible. She felt her resolve brace itself as she took a deep breath. She had to talk to Luffy.

"Nami you should really stay in bed a bit longer," Chopper warned. His arm stretched out to steady her as he scampered to her side.

She patted his head lightly as she strode towards the door. Outside she could hear a few thunderous booms of fireworks and she wondered if Luffy and Usopp were messing around. Before she could even take another step or even voice the questions that were burning on her tongue, the door flew open and Sanji and Usopp stumbled in almost clumsily.

"Oh Nami, you're up," swooned the cook immediately at her side. He grinned at her in a way that made it seem like something drastic had changed between them, and she smiled back realizing that something had changed.

"Yeah, I'm feeling loads better thanks to Chopper," she said glancing back at the doctor.

"Don't compliment me, you bastard. Get back in bed," he ordered but it was halfhearted as always as he danced at her praise.

"Where's Luffy?" Usopp asked. He was eyeing Nami like she was a piece of fragile glass that would explode at any given moment.

She shrugged. She had just been about to ask that question herself. Her captain was first on her list this time, what happened to her could be asked later. Besides she knew the jest of it anyways. She passed out.

"Then why do you have his hat?"

Startled she looked down to see that she was grasping her Captain's hat tightly in her hand. How the hell had she not noticed that? Nervously she pulled it to her chest.

"I don't know. I just woke up," she told him. The hat had his scent on it, like sweat and ocean. It was something all of them normally smelled like but for some reason she related it mostly to Luffy. She wondered why he would leave his hat with her. He had probably been really worried about her, and how sick she had been. She felt her legs wobble as guilt came crashing down around her. She still had to explain to him, still had to tell him what was wrong, and she still had to ask for his help. Her hands instinctively moved the hat to rest behind her neck, the string keeping it in place for her.

"He left with Brook and Robin to get that bastard that gave Nami the box," Chopper informed him.

Sanji spun and stomped towards the door.

"Wait," she called out. She took a deep breath trying to get her bearings. It sounded a lot like everyone knew. She realized that she was in the middle of the room, awkwardly standing there between Sanji and Usopp, and Zoro and Chopper. All four of them were practically evenly spaced away from her, ready to grab her if she fell. Vertigo hit her hard and she wondered if she should take Chopper's advice and sit down and relax for a while.

"I'm going after that bastard too," Sanji said towards the door. His back to her as his knuckles flexed over the handle.

"Luffy will get him," Zoro snapped speaking up for the first time. Sanji still opened the door and the booming fireworks seemed a thousand times louder than they had been before.

"We need a plan," Nami agreed nodding.

"Oh like that bastard has a plan. He probably just charged out on the island like he always does," Sanji grumbled but he didn't close the door. His jaw seemed to strain with agitation.

"Which is exactly why we need one," Nami said smugly.

Another crack of a distant firework greeted everyone as silence filled the room. So what was the plan? What could they do? Before anyone could really figure anything out or before anyone could break the heavy silence, footfalls could be heard charging in their direction.

"SUPER!"

Before she even had time to blink Franky shot into the room, grabbed her and dashed over board. They plunged into the ocean before anyone could even scamper out of the room after them.

* * *

**A/N: **You may throw stones at me. *Cringes* I know... I know. Sorry about the delay... Really I could rant about what's going in my life right now, but I don't feel like it. Hahaha. I just realized I had already written this chapter and figured I might as well post it. Next chapter is in progress so hopefully I'll have that updated sooner than last time. Keep in mind though that school just started for me as well and that has dibs on my attention. :p

**Edit!- **Sheesh. Sorry about that everyone. I normally go over my writing to pick up mistakes like that. I can't believe I missed it. Thanks for pointing it out. If you're reading this chapter for the first time don't worry about it. Everyone else. Excuse me for that mix up.


	13. Fix This!

**The Wish Box**

Chapter 12: Fix This!

Nami had always considered the ocean her friend. It was an odd thought, but she always felt safe. The water couldn't physically harm her, and even with the murky depths of not seeing what could be a few feet below her never scared her. She might be a chicken, but the water wasn't death, and death or being hurt is what she really feared. It was things in the water that could hurt her, but half of the time she couldn't bring herself to be startled. Even Seakings lost their terror. And it was mostly because she knew she could easily fry one. She had power, she wasn't weak, but she was just a chicken and hated putting herself in the line of danger.

Still in that moment she had never been so scared for her life and she had never been so terrified of a friend. The split second of surprise of being just tossed over Franky's shoulder and then jumping into the inky blackness of the ocean had truly stricken terror into her heart. And she couldn't figure out why. In that split second her mind ran through every single possibility that it could conjure up and she drew a blank. There was no reason for this madness, and that was the scariest type.

But when they hit the water, Franky immediately let her go. His stupid nipple lights flickered on as they hovered in limbo in the ocean, maybe five feet from the surface. One powerful kick and she would be easily above the surface gasping for air. But she refrained as an eerie sense of calm over took her.

She was thankful that her eyes were so used to the salty water as she studied her friend wearily, wondering what the hell he could possibly be up to. He eyed her expectantly back, waiting.

And then she noticed something peculiar. Instead of drifting up naturally like her body normally would have she was slowly starting to sink. It didn't make any sense; she hadn't let a single bubble escape. And she wasn't a devil fruit user…

Her gaze shifted down to her pocket where the small weight seemed to be tugging her down. Of course, how the fuck could she have been so stupid? And on second thought, Zoro cutting it wasn't such a bad idea. Destroying the body, (and in most cases knocking someone unconscious) or dousing it in the ocean was normally how one could take care of defeating a devil fruit user. Their powers would cease to work or weaken.

Fumbling clumsily with her pocket she tugged the stupid box out. The weight continued to cause her to sink into the water by now she was at least 10 feet from the surface. The seal that had been shut so tightly it had disappeared but was now showing faintly in the soft glow of light. Franky watched her wearily as she drifted deeper and deeper. He was still floating above, watching cautiously in case she needed some assistance.

Her fingers traced the seal and before she even knew what was really happening the lid popped off and a bubble raced past her towards the surface. There was a blinding white light at the same moment so much so that she had to raise her hand to block it from blinding her, but the brightness faded and the eerie calm came back. A small white orb, the size of her fist, floated in front of her peacefully beckoning her to touch it. She heard a loud splash but she was too transfixed on the light to notice anything. The light seemed to hum, magically, begging her to caress it. The light seemed so warm, and suddenly the ocean felt ice cold to her bones and she wanted nothing more than to reach out and embrace the warmth. She felt her grip on the box loosen, and the straw hat that was around her neck brushed her cheek.

She sat there suspended in the water as she hesitantly reached out.

Something sliced through the water and the light seemed to shatter in half and started to drift harmlessly to the bottom along with the box. The slice of water was too fast for her to react and retract her hand, but the slice of water passed her harmlessly as she flinched. Her eyes traveled downwards to the fading light and she wondered if she kicked hard enough if she could reach it in time.

There was a flash of green before something slammed into her chest, hard. Startled a breath escaped her letting go of precious air. Her head swam and her vision blurred. How long had she been under water? Something had a grip on her and was tugging her towards the surface and again before she could struggle she was forcible moved by a friend. Her stomach was pressed against his shoulder as his powerful legs pushed them towards the surface. There was no mistaking the three swords at his side, and with three powerful kicks they broke the surface.

Nami sputtered and coughed, greedily sucking in air. She heard the harsh tone but she mind wasn't functioning and the words that were being spoken were too gruff for her to make out. It took her a second to even realize she was being addressed. She felt her body slip down off his shoulder so that his piercing stare greeted her. Her body gently hit the back of the ship and she felt them move in sync with the water. Drifting up and down calmly, rolling with the waves.

"What?" she asked surprised at how weak her voice sounded. She could tell he was waiting for an answer but she hadn't heard what he said. She was keenly aware of the dull buzz in her head but everything seemed to sharpen and clear up as he sighed.

"What the hell was that?" he hissed again.

She was very well aware of the fact that he was now a lot closer and it now dawned on her that he had her pinned against the ship. His arms on either side of her holding them both up as they both just lazily kicked their legs to stay afloat.

But she didn't feel it. She didn't feel that heartbreaking loss of control like when the wish took over and kissed him. She was in full function of her own body, and she sat there limply enjoying the fact that there was no trace of it left. That she didn't feel the need to press her body as humanly close to her friend as possible.

But she still felt her body responding. His tone of voice made her shiver, and she nervously licked her lips in anticipation at their closeness. That was all her though, and all of her doing. She shied away from the thought.

"I don't know," she whispered out and again winced at how weak her voice sounded.

Her head was still trying to wrap around the fact that Franky, of all people seemed to have randomly and magically figured it out and threw her overboard. He had done the same thing when Chopper was out of control. The water was the simplest and easiest solution.

Zoro growled low and deep in his throat as Franky called out to them already somehow on board.

"What the fuck are you playing at Robot?" he hissed. The slope and angle of the ship blocked her from view but lights shot down and lit up Zoro. He looked surreal; his hair slightly longer than it had been two years ago dripping in and falling around his face in a very attractive way. The light reflecting down seemed to bounce on the water and hit Zoro in an odd way, the water that covered his wet frame seemed to shimmer and glint.

Franky said something but again it was lost to her ears, as she found herself transfixed with a droplet of water on the edge of Zoro's mouth as he raised an arm to squint up and glare at their friend.

She could call it stress, call it shock, call it mental instability, but she could not call it the wish when she pressed her lips firmly against his.

()()()()()()()()()()

Her gaze simply refused to meet his. She stared hard at the ground, and glared at her feet, as if she was furious. He didn't exactly get why but then again he didn't exactly get what was going on.

One minute they had been trying to figure out a damage control plan for whatever mischief Luffy was getting into and the next Franky had grabbed Nami and jumped overboard. Next thing he knows the water is lit up with Nami's shadowy figure and a single bubble pops on the surface filled with her scream of agony. He didn't think he just jumped in after her.

He had a million questions burning on his lips but the rest of the crew was gathered around. Everyone was worriedly looking down at Nami, who leaned against the railing panting to catch her breath. He stole another sideways glance at her before he pushed himself up. He felt strangely exhausted, as if he needed a nap right this minute and he didn't want to be around Nami. She had been a big enough pain in the ass for the day and he just wanted a few hours without stress, a nice long sleep would take care of that.

Sanji was swooning over her as always. Usopp was still trying to figure out what happened, hell he was still trying to figure it out too. Franky was oddly quiet and consoling Chopper in a soft tone. It was all back ground noise, he didn't care. She was safe. He folded his legs up across the deck and leaned back.

He glared at Sanji for a minute debating on telling him to leave Nami the fuck alone for a moment but decided against it as he yawned. His chin hit his chest and his eyes drifted close.

"You're so lazy."

Her voice cut through the night like one of his blades. He shifted, and peeked at her. She had a steaming cup of something that she had nursed close to her chest, a pink fuzzy blanket was draped around her shoulders, and she had changed her clothes. She looked like she had been spoiled but that wasn't exactly news.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Would it surprise you if I said a couple of days?"

"What?!" he hissed he jumped up immediately. Her light laughter caused him to glare down at her. Her hand shot to his wrist and tugged him back on the deck beside her.

"It's been a few hours," she assured him still smiling. She offered him the drink in her hands, which he just frowned at with disproval before timidly taking it from her. He took a small sip and was surprised at how the liquid seemed to fill him with warmth as it burned its way down his throat. Normally only alcohol gave him that delightful buzz of warmth.

"We need to talk," she said calmly.

"Is Luffy back?" he asked feeling impatient and not in the mood for her stupid Wish problem.

"Yes."

She didn't excitedly offer all the details about what Luffy had been up to. She didn't call him an idiot or scoff, she just looked relieved.

"Did you tell Luffy what was going on?"

"Like that dumb ass could understand," she muttered under her breath. "We both know Luffy doesn't care why…" she trailed off looking thoughtful.

"Are you ever going to tell me what was going on?"

She looked as startled as he felt. He had never really bothered to press her for details, that was something he and his captain shared. They didn't care as long as they could find a way to fix it in the end. Everyone had their past, it didn't matter, all it did was made them the person who they were today. But something was bothering him about it all. It was all too perfectly placed out. All perfectly timed and it wasn't fixed. He had to fix it. He had promised Luffy he would.

"A year before I met you guys I was in the middle of robbing one of the richest men in the East Blue," she started surprising both of them with the fact that she was even answering. She was looking at her feet, avoiding his gaze. "It was a bit unethical of me. I normally can be level headed about some situations. The man I was robbing was nice, very nice. The rest of his family was pretty evil, spoiled rotten to the core. I convinced myself to do it, because it would help me buy back my town."

Her soft voice had him leaning back against the rail, as he half took in what she was saying. He sipped on the drink quietly and gave it back to her as she paused. She didn't look up as she accepted it from him. She swirled her finger around the rim and pulled the blanket tighter around herself.

"Do what?" he asked.

"I…" she took a deep breath, "I used him."

"You use everyone."

She didn't say anything but nodded her head. Her gaze tightly focused on the rim of the mug.

"I made him think I loved him, made him buy me things, and he would do so. He was actually a great deal older than me and never asked where I went when I disappeared for long periods of time. It was very covenant. I could still go back and report to Arlong, and in turn I got a nice heap of treasure every time and…"

"Someone to love you," he finished for her. She nodded and again paused for a long moment. She took a deep breath.

"Turns out he was just as rotten as his family. He had two boys, one close to my age even. He wanted to arrange a marriage so that he could keep a close eye on me. It was then that I learned that he was married already and that entire time… I left and never went back."

He snorted.

"So you're a bad person. Nothing new with that. What does that have to do with Sebastian?"

She scoffed and glared at him for a second before continuing.

"He's that old man's son. After I left I guess his father divorced his mother and they lost all their money somehow. He came after me and started to blame me."

"And?"

"And that's it. Luffy, Brook, and Robin went out to go set him straight. He was hiding near the docks, they found him rather quickly. He had some weird device that he clicked that made all three of them rather weak but they still beat the shit out of him, threatened him, and made him promise to leave me alone."

"That's it? I don't get to fight?"

"Is that all you care about?"

"I had to suffer through all this stupid crap and I didn't even get to cut anything! It's rather anticlimactic!"

"Well you'll be happy to know you don't have to suffer anymore," she said icily standing up and shoving the mug roughly into his hands.

"And what does that mean?" he hissed standing up and placing the mug with a little more force than necessary on the railing.

"It means what I said. I'm not your problem anymore."

For some reason the way she was hotly staring at him and the way she phrased her words hit him in the gut like a ton of bricks. Only Nami could do that to him. Only she could piss him off and calm him down so thoroughly in just a few minutes. He gritted his teeth as he tried to piece together what she meant.

"So you picked that stupid love cook?" it was the first thing he thought of. He wasn't even sure if it was possible for the Wish to change people but it was trying to grant what Nami wanted. His eyes flashed to the back of her head where the Straw Hat hung loosely still.

It was worse than a ton of bricks hitting his gut. It was worse than steel slicing away flesh.

"Or Luffy?" he asked.

"What the hell are you talking about?" she snapped, her foot pounding on the deck restlessly as she tapped impatiently at him.

He was tempted to answer her, tempted to scream at her that she knew exactly what he was talking about, but he remained silent. He let out a frustrated puff of air and turned his back on her to glare out at the ocean.

"You can't just spit out nonsense and then not explain yourself," she snapped grabbing his shoulder and trying to make him turn around. He managed to yank it away from her.

"You are doing the same thing."

"Oh…" she was quiet for a moment as if realization dawned on her. It was like all of a sudden she knew what he was accusing her of, like she knew what he was thinking. "The Box… it's in the ocean. I… I'm in…"

He whirled around to look at her.

"That kiss?" he asked feeling hoarse.

That kiss that they had earlier. The one after he pulled her out of the ocean. He had thought it was just some weird push from the wish and had let her kiss him. He had even kissed her back with a bit more force than necessary because he had been so relieved she was okay. It had only lasted a second or two. Franky had just so happened to throw a latter to them and interrupted.

"Look I don't want this to be weird. I just want to fix this, and for things to go back to normal," she said quickly as she blushed.

"What if there's nothing to be fixed Nami?" he asked.

"Then… I'm not your problem anymore."

This time when she said it, those words didn't have the fire or spirit with it. She didn't bother trying to hide her disappointment, or her hurt, or her frustration. But Nami was always a very easy person to read.

"You're always gonna be my problem," he muttered. He closed the distance between them and flung his arm over her shoulder to pull her to his chest. His heart clenched painfully in his chest at the stupid cliché line he just pulled but thankfully Nami was too close to see his cheeks tinged with red.

He might be in love with her. He acted rather stupid around her, and for her. Panic always hit him the hardest when something happened to her and she was out of his line of sight. He always had to trust his friend's though, he never could freely show the panic he was feeling, and he was forced to hope that they would get the job done while he got his job done. His strongest suit wasn't in rescue but with Luffy kicking the strongest guy's ass. This wasn't new to him.

What was new was the fact that he actually wanted to kiss her, and that he liked holding her, and maybe he was in a bit of self-denial when his heart started racing at her touch. There was a reason why he had sworn off love. It could be distracting; it could be destroying and detrimental. But whatever he was feeling for Nami, besides this whole box thing, hadn't really been out of his way. Hell she even acted like she hated that it was him…

He grimaced and squeezed her to his chest with a little more force.

"So what now? Are you going to run away and act like this never happened?" his voice might've been a little more biting than he wanted but it got the job done. Nami looked up at him with confusion.

"We're friends…"

"Of course we are," he said firmly without a doubt. "We've been friends for a really long time now Nami."

"I don't want to mess up things with Luffy."

Again it was like she had just punched him in the gut. She didn't want to mess things up with Luffy? So did she feel something more for their captain? That stupid conversation he was forced to have with him came back. That look in his friend's eyes… the look that had been mirrored in his own. What was the difference in their love? Did Luffy actually love her or was it just the same plutonic love he had for everyone?

"Right," he said crisply letting go of her.

If she wanted Luffy he wasn't going to stop her. He bit his lip hard to keep from saying anything else as he turned away from her to glare at the sea.

"Zoro I just-"

"I get it," he hissed cutting her off. Why did she have to sound so weak and unsure of herself now? That wasn't something he had seen in Nami in a long time. The Nami he liked was annoying, bossy, and hotheaded. All the same he didn't want her to be sad.

"I just want to fix this!" she yelled at him.

"I told you there was nothing to be fixed witch!" he rounded around to face her and was surprised to see the tears in her eyes.

"Is that the only insult you can come up with? That's rather pathetic," she snapped.

"Witch? You want to know why I call you that?" he didn't give her time to respond. "I call you that because you did to me exactly what you did to Sebastian's father. You made me feel something for you when I didn't want to. And the worst part is, I'm completely okay with it. So when I call you witch and I say it with the deepest resentment I can muster it's because you're a witch. You changed me somehow."

"You're exactly the same. You always have been!"

He smirked.

"And you're just realizing that? Are you a bit slow tonight," he teased. He felt cocky for some reason. Like he had just won something.

She sucked in a hard breath and glared at him. Her cheeks flushed red and dark in the moonlight, the pink fluffy towel fell to the floor next to her. Her wide brown eyes stared at him with disbelief. He could kind of feel it himself.

He did love her. He had all along. He was just good at acting like it didn't affect him. He was good at acting like he was free from her spell.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

And then she ran.

She ran away into her room and slammed the door loudly behind her.

* * *

**A/N: **Hey everyone! Since I updated so late last time I'm updating early this time! And... the next chapter is the last. I hope you guys have enjoyed this journey so far and I hope I don't disappoint with my ending. :). Also I fixed that part in the last chapter if you guys read it and pointed it out you'll know what I'm talking about.


	14. Push

**The Wish Box**

Chapter 13: Push

"Wow! So cool! How did you figure it out Franky?"

It was breakfast the next morning. He felt tired and sluggish but somehow slightly refreshed. He knew where he stood in this crew. Second to Luffy, and it didn't hurt at all.

Okay it was a fucking knife to the chest, but he was going to handle it like a professional. Clean, short, and to the point. It was just like how he was. It wasn't like his personality changed overnight. He took another swig of alcohol and wished that he was drunk already.

The worst part was, he couldn't even be mad at Luffy. Luffy was his captain. Luffy was the one person he would give up his dream for so that Luffy could pursue his. Not that he had given up his dream… he just modified it. He fixed it so that Luffy's came first.

And he couldn't even be mad at Nami. Of course she would pick their captain over him. It was Luffy, the man who would put everything on the line for everything he did. Luffy might be slow but Nami wasn't a bad teacher. She could coach him to be the perfect lover.

He took another swig from his bottle refusing to let his thoughts go any further with that.

Franky was busy retelling how he figured it out to Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp. Sanji was fixing breakfast but it was clear he was listening to the story intently. Robin was flipping through a book (shocker) and Brook was laughing gaily and interrupted randomly with his stupid jokes. A typical day with the Straw Hats. Only, of course, Nami had yet to enter the room. It would have normally been unusual but now was becoming common to have Nami enter later. Ever since she made that wish she seemed to prowl around the ship in the mornings, checking to make sure everything was perfect before she came to eat with them.

"Umm Zoro?" Chopper was at his side with a stern look on his face. He grunted his acknowledgement and made sure to take a large sip of his drink. Chopper wrinkled his face in displeasure.

"You shouldn't drink so early Zoro!" he scolded. "It isn't like you!"

"What the hell are you talking about? I drink all the time!" he protested.

The tinkling of laughter from Robin interrupted them. Zoro shot her a glare.

"Maybe something is troubling him, Chopper?" she offered, not even looking up from her book.

"What could be bothering Zoro? He doesn't care about anything," Chopper said evenly.

"HEY!" he growled and went to bop the small doctor upside the head.

"Maybe that something is a someone," Robin said quietly, her gaze meeting him just barely from the top of her book.

His cheeks flushed and he growled lowly at her but her attention was already back on her book. Her eyes turned up in a mocking smile. Chopper studied him with a look of interest for a moment before shrugging and returning to his breakfast. Well, he shrugged and returned to his breakfast after he wrestled the bottle from Zoro's hands.

The door swung open with a loud bang and everyone's eyes shot to the door. Except his, he knew who it was. He kept his eyes trained on his plate.

"Sorry about that everyone. The wind is pretty strong today," her voice sounded level and normal and the small laugh she gave was normal. She sounded normal, unaffected. Good they were both being professional. She wouldn't hold this over his head. Besides he hadn't exactly said it out loud, and the fight they would get into would undoubtedly be ugly.

Still the conversations resumed and he didn't hear a word anyone said. Just her voice seemed to stick out as she offered Luffy his hat back.

He lost his appetite.

He quickly finished his plate and pushed it away.

"Do your dishes you spring fig," Sanji said lazily as he sat next to him.

"Spring fig? Are you out of insults, faggot?"

"What did you just call me?"

"A faggot. Are you deaf now too?" he hissed.

"Will you two knock it off?" Nami's stern voice cut into their argument. "I'm trying to eat."

"Yes, Nami~swaaaaaan!" swooned the love cook. Disgusted that he couldn't even pick a fight Zoro stood up and left. The door might have closed behind him loudly. He could blame it on the wind as well.

()()()()()()()

"What the hell was that about?" she muttered (mostly) to herself. She wouldn't mind if someone answered her question but she also knew that she was a large part of why their resident swordsman was acting odd. Sanji just shrugged next to her. He was sitting in-between her and Zoro and she really wished he hadn't been there. Luffy was to her right at the head of the table and he glanced at her curiously.

"Zoro's upset about something," he said simply and shrugged. He went back to eating, (not that he had ever stopped) and sent her a sympathetic glance.

She wanted to ask what. She knew what though. Zoro, strong, mighty, independent Zoro, felt something besides friendship with her. To be honest it scared her, and she wondered if he had told any of their crewmates about what happened last night after they all went to bed. She shifted in her seat restlessly.

"Are you okay Nami? Something seems to be bothering you too," Robin asked from across the table.

"Yeah I'm fine," she whispered as she picked at her food to distract herself.

She was just being herself. She was running away from something new and unfamiliar, and although she had craved for it, wished for it even, she was still scared of it and afraid to accept something _more_. She had told him over and over again that she just wanted things to be fixed, for things to go back to normal…

She didn't want to upset her captain and get kicked off the crew because of something she was feeling. Again it was an irrational thought, but it was something she couldn't shake. Luffy didn't exactly understand this type of emotion, he understood love but not this type.

She swallowed loudly and let her head fall against the table roughly. From the way Zoro was talking last night she knew he felt the same. Hell she felt the same. She was just too scared to actually do anything about it, so she ran. She was good at running and hiding, if she really wanted to.

"Nami?"

Everyone was looking at her oddly and Chopper was at her side examining her head.

"I…" she needed an excuse. She had to leave the room. It felt like everyone knew her secret and that the walls were closing in. Sanji was looking at her knowingly, Robin was smirking, even Franky and Brook had some type of expectant look. She swallowed again and took a deep breath. She groaned and let her head bump the table again.

She stole every fiber of courage in her soul and sat up and looked directly at Luffy.

"I love Zoro."

There she said it. Loudly, and for the whole crew to hear. She didn't pay attention to the small gasp that only escaped from Usopp. Everyone else was smiling (or in Sanji's case weeping silently). Luffy smiled and laughed at her.

"So why are you letting him be upset? Go fix him," Luffy said laughing. His stupid rubbery arms wrapped around her and pulled her out of her seat. With a stiff push she was out the door of the kitchen and onto the deck.

She ran.

She was running but this time she wouldn't run from him.

()()()()()()()()

"Zoro!"

Great. Maybe he had been wrong. Maybe she would lord this over him too. He pretended he didn't hear her and kept pushing the weights over his head. It was the perfect workout that required him to concentrate but let his mind wander at the same time. He wasn't in the mood to deal with her anyways. He just wanted to be by himself.

"Zoro!"

She just wasn't going to leave him alone was she? Her voice was on the ladder and ascending towards him. She would be in the gym in about a minute. He had a minute to brace himself.

What did she want? It wasn't like they talked about this. She had just said sorry and then ran away from him. She was picking Luffy. She didn't have to explain herself to him. He could understand, and he'd be damned if she thought he was weak and couldn't handle it. He could.

The door banged open as she chambered into his sanctuary.

"What the fuck?!" she hissed. She was angry? She was fucking angry? How the hell could she even justify being angry with him?! Although it was Nami, she was probably pissed that he hadn't come running when she called for him.

"Why didn't you just tell me you were in the gym? I know you heard me calling for you!"

He rolled his eyes.

"What do you want, Nami?"

"I want to tell you something…" she said. Her voice shook slightly and she looked nervous again.

"You don't have to tell me anything. I know," he snapped and picked up his weight again. A few more reps while she was here wouldn't kill anyone.

Silence greeted him for several long moments and he chanced to actually look at her. She looked confused and a little hurt but he tried not to care about that. She even said last night that she wasn't his problem anymore, that she wanted to 'fix this' and that thing about Luffy. He growled.

"So what do you want?" he snapped.

"I want to say sorry," she snapped right back.

"Don't. Apologizing doesn't suit you," he said evenly. He had said the same thing a few nights ago, back to the night when he had kissed her. When he first realized that she was more than a friend, and that coming out of this things wouldn't be the same between them. He knew it deep down all along.

She was smiling as if she was lost in the memory with him and she took a step forward.

Suddenly the room wasn't big enough. She was too close and yet he wanted her closer. He wanted to back against the wall and run himself but he was braver than that. He met her gaze and practically snarled.

"What about Luffy?"

"I told him," she said stiffly.

"You told him?"

Okay, maybe he had misread something. If she had told Luffy her feelings then shouldn't she be with Luffy? Unless their captain rejected her or maybe she had feelings for Luffy but lusted after him. She did make a wish that involved him.

"Yes," she said grinning. "I told Luffy and he wasn't mad or angry."

"What did you tell Luffy?" he asked quietly. She took another step forward, a wicked grin on her face, one aimed at him. He was her prey and he didn't mind. She was standing in front of him now, and dully he realized that he had dropped the weight down. Her hand slithered behind his neck as she leaned forward. Her lips rested on his ear.

"I told him my wish," she purred.

He growled. Not the mad growl, or the disgruntled growl he normally did but growled in a frustrated, exasperated, completely in love way. She had told him she would never tell him what her wish was. As if she knew what he was thinking she laughed. Her breath still tickling his ear as her other hand encircled him.

She was hugging him.

It took him a second to actually process that fact before he hugged her back tightly to his chest.

"So what do we do now?" she asked quietly as if she was scared that their entire world would change. Her face was still buried in his neck and his face was buried in her hair. The sickly sweet scent of her tangerines met him and he never realized how much she actually smelled like them.

"What do you mean?" he asked pulling away from her slightly to look at her.

"I…" she shrugged looking hopelessly lost. "I've never been in love before. I don't know what to do."

To say that he didn't feel anything would have been a deep and dark lie. To say that what they had was purely physical and based off a wish would be a lie too. They had always been on this road. The wish just pushed them together. Because although Nami might not have been in control the whole time, it was something she wanted. Something she craved.

He couldn't stop grinning as he gently tilted her gaze up to meet his.

"We keep on sailing. We keep on fighting. We keep on being friends," he told her.

"Can we keep on kissing?" she asked smugly. Her eyes glinted with lust.

He didn't really need to answer that one, except with a kiss.

* * *

**A/N: **Sooo that's it. This has been one of most interesting stories that I have written. I was going to torture you guys for a few more days but ... eh screw it. I'll give it to you now. I'm in the midst of writing another ZoNa so keep you're eyes peeled if you are interested. I want to thank everyone for their support with this story! Much love,

_Oceanwind~_


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